Experimental evaluation of bursting pressure in lymphatic vessels with ultrasonically activated shears.

To evaluate the ability of ultrasonically activated shears (USAS) to occlude lymphatic vessels, we investigated the bursting pressure of lymphatic vessels occluded with USAS and compared with pressures in an artery and a vein. The inguinal lymphatic vessels, testicular arteries, and testicular veins were removed from male pigs. The vessels were occluded by USAS at power level 2. The bursting pressures of the harvested vessels were measured ex vivo. The bursting pressure of the artery (average, 1154 mmHg; range, 1000-1341 mmHg) was significantly greater than that in the vein (average, 747 mmHg; range, 560-973 mmHg; p = 0.0024) or the lymphatic vessel (average, 610 mmHg; range, 491-996 mmHg; p = 0.0003). There was no significant difference of bursting pressure between the vein and lymphatic vessel (p = 0.2226). Although the bursting pressures of the vein and lymphatic vessel were significantly lower than that of the artery, they were much higher than that found in physiologic conditions. USAS is considered to be a powerful tool for lymph node dissection for malignant diseases in open surgery as well as laparoscopic surgery.