Comparison of the effect of ultrasounic-harmonic scalpel and electrocautery in the treatment of axillary lymph nodes during radical surgery for breast cancer

Table 5 Comparison of outcome variables between harmonic group and electrocautery group in axillary lymph node dissection at station I,II

Variable	Harmonic (n=15)	Electrocautery (n=21)	P value
Blood loss (ml)	21.33 ± 3.51	20.81 ± 3.12	0.643
Duration of axillary surgery (minutes)	24.93 ± 6.87	20.81 ± 6.99	0.088
Duration of axillary drains (days)	13.00 ± 4.78	13.81 ± 6.14	0.673
Total axillary drain volume (ml)	694.60 ± 440.17	741.19 ± 469.05	0.717
Pain score			0.741
1	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
2	6 (40.0%)	10 (47.6%)
3	9 (60.0%)	11 (52.4%)
Complications			0.197
Delayed Healing	0 (%)	2 (9.5%)
Hematoma	1 (6.7%)	2 (9.5%)
Wound infection	0 (0%)	3 (14.3%)
Flap necrosis	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Re-accumulation of seroma after drain removal	2 (13.3%)	0 (0%)

ISSN: 1477-7819