Vétoquinol offers "Ligasure” - a revolutionary new instrument for the equine surgeon

Exclusive in Europe: Vétoquinol is now able to offer equine veterinarians an innovative new instrument, the Ligasure®, which can be used to achieve hemostasis of large blood vessels. This device replaces a haemostatic clip, a suture and a pair of scissors in a single instrument. The Ligasure®, recently developed by Tyco, was intended for use in human surgery. Dr Roland Perrin, veterinarian, graduate of the ECVS, and his team tested and appraised the Ligasure®, before going on to purchase the instrument: "We thought that this instrument would be particularly suitable for surgery in horses. We have identified numerous applications, and used the Ligasure® for them". It is particularly suitable for use under laparoscopy: the ablation of cryptorchid testes or ovaries, adhesiolysis in the context of intestinal adherences, castration under laparoscopic monitoring by section of the vascular cord and the vasa deferentia, for controlling haemorrhage.

We also thought that it could be useful in conventional surgery, for carrying out the following procedures: castration by the open cord method and suturing the skin wound, without using a castration clip, the excision of skin tumours, such as sarcoids, assisting enterectomy of the intestine, and particularly the small intestine by sectioning the mesenterium without suturing the main vessels, or to assist in achieving haemostasis in ENT surgery. We found that the operating time was shorter, particularly during laparoscopies, and open surgery enterectomies of the small intestine, and that there were fewer complications, particularly during castration, fewer seromas and a quicker return to work.

The technology used The Ligasure® combines the technology of bipolar electrosurgery with using a computer to determine the optimum pressure and energy to be applied between the two jaws of the haemostatic clip to produce a firm and lasting join of the edges of the vessels; some instruments then make it possible to carry out the section using the same instrument. The occlusive mechanism is based on denaturing the collagen, which together with elastin creates a closure zone that retains some degree of elasticity. This means that a single application of the Ligasure® can replace a haemostatic clip, a suture and a pair of scissors. Vessels with a diameter of up to 7mm can be coagulated and cut in this way. This instrument can be used for open surgery, but also for laparoscopic surgery.

It constitutes a revolution in controlling haemostasis during human surgery, and particularly during laparoscopic procedures. The fact that it produces more effective haemostasis means that it can be used to reduce the risk of spreading cancer cells while excising tumours, it makes it possible to avoid using sutures, which inevitably produce an inflammatory reaction while they are being resorbed, it simplifies the surgical procedure, thus reducing both the operating time and the post-operative morbidity. In Europe, Vétoquinol, a veterinary pharmaceutical laboratory, is the exclusive distributor to the veterinary profession of the Tyco range of sutures and surgical materials.