Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of gastric cancer surgery in elderly patients using ultrasonic harmonic scalpel.Methods We divided the elderly patients who had gastric cancer open surgery from March 2007 to March 2010 into scalpel surgery group (34 cases) and conventional surgery group (38 cases).Scalpel surgery group underwent the open surgery by ultrasonic harmonic scalpel.Instead,conventional surgery group were performed with the open surgery by monopolar electrocautery shovel and other traditional instruments.Average operation time,blood loss,number of harvested lymph nodes,average drainage 3 days aftersurgery,and postoperative hospital stay of the two groups were compared.Results As compared with those in the conventional surgery group,the average operation time,blood loss,postoperative hospital stay in scalpel surgery group were significantly lower,and the number of lymph node dissection was significantly higher (all P<0.05).The difference of average drainage 3 days after surgery between the two groups was not statistically significant.Conclusions Ultrasonic harmonic scalpel can be effectively used in elderly patients with gastric cancer open surgery,suggesting its clinical routine use.

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