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Comparative Study | Surgery | Volume 15 Issue 5, May 2026 | Pages: 1062 - 1064 | India
Comparison of Electrosurgical Cautery and Scalpel Skin Incision in Elective Inguinal Hernia Surgery
Abstract: Background: The method of skin incision may influence operative efficiency, bleeding, postoperative pain, wound morbidity and scar quality in open inguinal hernia surgery. This study compared electrosurgical cautery with conventional scalpel incision in elective inguinal hernia repair. Methods: A prospective comparative study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery at a tertiary care teaching hospital from March 2024 to September 2025. A total of 130 adult patients undergoing elective open inguinal hernia repair were included and divided equally into diathermy and scalpel groups. Incision time, blood loss, postoperative pain by Visual Analogue Scale, analgesic requirement, wound complications and Manchester Scar Scale at one month were assessed. Results: Diathermy incision had significantly shorter incision time (32.4 +/- 6.8 s vs 58.6 +/- 9.5 s; p < 0.001) and lower blood loss (6.8 +/- 2.1 ml vs 14.6 +/- 3.9 ml; p < 0.001). VAS scores, analgesic use, wound complications and scar score were also lower in the diathermy group. Conclusion: Electrosurgical cautery incision was safe and superior to scalpel incision for key perioperative outcomes in elective open inguinal hernia repair.
Keywords: Diathermy incision, Scalpel incision, Inguinal hernia, Postoperative pain, Manchester Scar Scale
How to Cite?: Chinmay Dave, Paras Patel, Shivraj Meena, "Comparison of Electrosurgical Cautery and Scalpel Skin Incision in Elective Inguinal Hernia Surgery", Volume 15 Issue 5, May 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1062-1064, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=MR26515233556, DOI: https://dx.dx.doi.org/10.21275/MR26515233556