A comparative study between coblation and bipolar electrocautery tonsillectomy in children

Abstract

Background and objective: Tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy is an operation done frequently in all otolaryngology departments all over the world. Many new surgical techniques found over the last few decades to decrease the morbidity of this surgery. This study aimed to compare intraoperative efficiency and postoperative recovery between coblation and bipolar electrocautery tonsillectomy. Methods: This prospective study was carried out on 60 patients that underwent tonsillectomy over six months from 1(st) August 2014 to 31(st) January 2015 in Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil city. They patients equally divided into two groups; coblation tonsillectomy (30 patients) and bipolar electrocautery tonsillectomy (30 patients). Their age ranged between 2.5-12 years. The operative time and intraoperative blood loss were recorded for each patient and compared. The parents were given a pain diary to record the level of pain each morning for ten days. Also, they were asked to report any complication like bleeding. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the mean operation time between the coblation group and bipolar electrocautery group (6.89 min vs. 7.83 min, P = 0.11). The mean intraoperative blood loss was statistically lower for the bipolar electrocautery group versus the coblation group (1.43 ml vs. 15.37 ml, P <0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in the daily pain scores between the two groups in which the coblation group was associated with lower mean pain score. No episodes of primary or secondary hemorrhage were recorded. Conclusion: Bipolar electrocautery tonsillectomy offers the same operative speed, less intraoperative blood loss, more postoperative pain scores when compared with coblation tonsillectomy.