Abstract
Background: Various tonsillectomy techniques are available to improve intraoperative and postoperative morbidity. Conventional cold dissection tonsillectomy is a time-tested technique while coblation tonsillectomy is a relatively newer method. This study aimed to compare the difference in intraoperative and postoperative morbidity and the surgical time between cold dissection and the coblation method of tonsillectomy. Methodology: We performed a comparative study among patients (4–35 years) who underwent tonsillectomy either by conventional cold dissection or by coblation method by the same surgeon. Intraoperative parameters such as surgical time and hemorrhage; postoperative parameters such as hemorrhage, pain (using pain score at 6th h, 1st, and 7th postoperative day), healing of tonsillar fossa (percentage of slough covered area), and return to normal diet were determined. Results: Surgical time for the coblation method (26.42 min) was significantly (P = 0.002) less than the conventional method (34.88 min). Similarly, intraoperative blood loss was significantly less for the coblation method when compared to the conventional method (7.3 ml vs. 18.5 ml, respectively, P < 0.001). The postoperative pain on the 1st day was significantly less in the coblation technique than in the conventional method (score 4.42 vs. 5.73, respectively, P = 0.001). Slough covered area on the tonsillar fossa on the 1st postoperative day was significantly more in the coblation technique than the conventional method (67% vs. 51%, respectively, P = 0.001). No significant differences were observed in the incidence of postoperative hemorrhage and resumption of diet. Conclusion: Coblation tonsillectomy is superior to conventional tonsillectomy in terms of surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative pain.
Published Version
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