Randomised controlled double blinded trial of the use of cold scalpel versus cutting diathermy for skin incisions in clean (non-bowel) laparoscopic and open surgery

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The skin incisions to perform common surgical procedures can be made using a traditional steel knife blade (cold scalpel) or “electric knife” (cutting diathermy), which is a blunt electrode transmitting electric current to divide the skin. Despite both these methods being in use for many years, to date we have found very little convincing evidence that one is better than the other. Thus the choice of method used is often made on surgeon preference alone. Some surgeons are using both methods interchangeably in routine practice. We are conducting a trial which aims to determine whether one modality is superior to the other in terms of wound healing and infection. In this era of increasing awareness and prevention of blood-borne infection transmission, alternatives to the use of sharp instruments such as the traditional cold scalpel are continually being sought. If both methods are shown to produce similar results, the blunt cutting diathermy could provide a much safer alternative to the traditional sharp cold scalpel.

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