Usage of surgical lasers for the treatment of chronic tonsillitis

Abstract

Thirty-eight patients (children and adults) with chronic tonsillitis were operated on using surgical laser in the ENT department in the outpatient clinic JSC “Medicina” in 2002. A total of 11 patients underwent laser lacunotomy of tonsils, 27 patients, laser ablation of tonsils. Lacunotomy was performed by IAG-holmium laser, ablation of tonsils was performed by CO 2 laser, “Sharplan” system. All procedures were done under local anesthesia in outpatient conditions. The patients were selected among groups of patients with chronic tonsillitis (both compensated, 48%, and decompensated, 52%). Results of treatment: Among 27 patients after laser ablation, acute tonsillitis was registered in 2 patients (7.4%) during 6 months of observation. Among 11 patients after laser lacunotomy, exacerbation of chronic tonsillitis was registered in 7 patients (63.6%) during 6 months of observation; 2 of them underwent tonsillectomy. The results were statistically significant ( p=0.0008). Thus, tonsil ablation and lacunotomy are the methods of choice in chronic tonsillitis treatment. Both are efficient enough and allow retention of the organ and avoid tonsillectomy. They are especially advisable in patients with severe contraindications to tonsillectomy and in whom therapeutic methods of treatment are inefficient.