Table 1 Characteristics of included systematic reviews
From: Performance of Harmonic devices in surgical oncology: an umbrella review of the evidence
Review (year) | Search period | Intervention | Comparisons | Surgical procedure | Outcomes | No. of RCTs | Methodological quality of RCTs†|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Population: gastric cancer patients | |||||||
Sun (2015) [24] | June 2014 | Ultrasonic dissection | Conventional electrocautery | Gastrectomy with D1/D2 LND | OR time; blood loss; post-op abdominal drainage; morbidity and mortality; post-op hospital stay; total cost | 5 | Low RoB |
Cheng (2015) [12] | September 2013 | Harmonic surgical devices | Conventional techniques | OR time; blood loss; post-op drainage volume; post-op hospital stay; blood transfusion; post-op complications | 10 | Moderate to low RoB | |
Chen (2014) [23] | September 2012 | Ultrasonic scalpel | Conventional techniques | OR time; post-op complications; blood loss; abdominal drainage; post-op hospital stay; blood transfusion; GI function recovery days; no. dissected lymph nodes | 7 | Low quality‡ | |
Population: breast cancer patients | |||||||
Huang (2015) [13] | June 2015 | Harmonic scalpel | Electrocautery dissection | Modified radical mastectomy | Post-op drainage; seroma formation; blood loss; OR time; wound complications | 7* | Low to moderate quality‡ |
Cheng (2016) [21] | January 1998 to May 2014 | Harmonic technology | Conventional techniques | Mastectomy and BCS with LND | OR time; blood loss; chest wall drainage; post-op hospital stay; total complications; seroma and hematoma formation; wound infection; necrosis; ecchymosis | 12 | Moderate to low RoB |
Currie (2012) [22] | 2011 | Ultrasonic dissection | Electrocautery dissection | Mastectomy ± LND | Total post-op drainage; seroma formation; blood loss; OR time; wound complications | 6 | Low to moderate quality‡ |
Population: oral, head, and neck cancer patients | |||||||
Ren (2015) [14] | 2014 | Harmonic scalpel | Conventional hemostasis | Neck dissection with LND | OR time; blood loss; post-op drainage; hospital stay | 7 | Moderate to low RoB |
Population: colon cancer patients | |||||||
Allaix (2016) [28] | January 1999 to January 2016 | Energy sources | Conventional electrosurgery | Laparoscopic colorectal resection | Quantitative analysis not performed | 4** | Not assessed |
Di Lorenzo (2012) [29] | 1990 to June 2011 | Ultrasonic energy | Radiofrequency | Quantitative analysis for comparison of Harmonic devices vs. conventional techniques not performed | 5*** | Not assessed | |
Tou (2011) [30] | March 2010 | Energy sources | Conventional electrosurgery | OR time; blood loss; complications; conversion to open surgery; post-op hospital stay; total cost | 6 | Low RoB | |