Comparison Of Electrocautery Incision With Scalpel Incision In Midline Abdominal Surgeries At Baghdad Teaching Hospital.

Background: The surgical use of electrocautery in skin incision dates back to the early 20th century. Although electrocautery use has the potential to decrease scalpel use, which is a common cause of surgeon injuries; skin incision using diathermy has been widely controversial due to concerns regarding wound infection. Aim of study: To compare intraoperative and postoperative outcomes between scalpel and electrocautery in midline laparotomy. Patients and methods: This is a cross sectional study that included 100 patients who underwent midline laparotomy and was conducted in the 2nd floor of Baghdad Teaching Hospital/ Medical city, Baghdad. The data was collected from the 1st of April 2022 to the 31st of December 2022. Patients were observed concerning intraoperative blood loss, incision time, postoperative pain, and wound infection. Results: Intraoperative blood loss and pain scores on postoperative day 1 were significantly lower in the electrocautery group, while no significant difference between the two groups was detected regarding incision speed, rate of wound infection, and pain scores on postoperative days 2, 3, 4, and 5. Conclusion: Based on the current findings, it can be concluded that electrocautery is a safe procedure that is to a reduction in intraoperative blood loss and postoperative pain on day 1st day.