The approach of general surgeons to the use of vessel sealing device in thyroid surgery.

OBJECTIVE Vascular sealing devices (VSD) can be safely used in thyroid surgery. The purpose of this survey was to investigate general surgeons' approach to the use of VSD in thyroid surgery in Turkey. MATERIAL AND METHODS A questionnaire containing 10 items was prepared and announced via the Dialogue in Endocrinology Society website. The results were then analyzed. RESULTS Fifty surgeons (65.8%) stated that they always use VSD, 20 (26.3%) stated that they sometimes use these devices and six (7.9%) declared that they never use VSD. Thirty-six surgeons (47.4%) reported that they use ligation all the time, and 42 (55.3%) stated that upper pole vessels should be ligated at least once. Twenty two point four percent of the responders stated that they faced a complication, which they thought was related to VSD. CONCLUSION The vast majority of surgeons routinely uses VSD and accepts it as a safe tool. However, the observed complication rate was very high.