Coblation versus bipolar electrocautery tonsillectomy: a comparative study in children

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background: </strong>Tonsillectomy is a commonly done surgery by ENT surgeons all over the world. There are many surgical techniques to do this surgery. This study is aimed to compare intraoperative efficiency and postoperative recovery between coblation and bipolar electrocautery tonsillectomy.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> This prospective study was carried out on 60 patients that underwent tonsillectomy over 2 years from February 2019 to January 2021 in Mallareddy Institute of Medical Sciences, Suraram, Hyderabad. The patients were equally divided into two groups; coblation tonsillectomy (30 patients) and bipolar electrocautery tonsillectomy (30 patients). Their age ranged between 4-15 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.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> There was no statistically significant difference in the mean operation time and intra operative blood loss between the coblation group and bipolar electrocautery group 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. 1 episode of secondary hemorrhage was recorded in bipolar electrocautery tonsillectomy.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Bipolar electrocautery tonsillectomy offers the same operative speed, similar intraoperative blood loss, more postoperative pain scores when compared with coblation tonsillectomy.</p>