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A Prospective Study on Pros and Cons of Electrodissection Tonsillectomy
Author(s) -
Blomgren Karin,
Qvarnberg Yrjö H.,
Valtonen Hannu J.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1097/00005537-200103000-00018
Subject(s) - tonsillectomy , medicine , peritonsillar abscess , prospective cohort study , perioperative , surgery , cons , anesthesia , computer science , programming language
Objective Hemorrhages are main complications after tonsillectomy, whatever technique is used. This prospective study aimed at revealing pros and cons associated with monopolar electrodissection tonsillectomy. Study Design A prospective study. Methods A prospective study on all patients undergoing tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy in Central Hospital of Central Finland in 1997. Operation time and bleeding, as well as perioperative and postoperative complications, were recorded. Results Inpatient tonsillectomy was performed in 440 patients (mean age, 17.9 y). Primary post‐tonsillectomy hemorrhage (within 24 h) occurred in 2.3%. A total of 15.9% of patients searched for medical help because of secondary post‐tonsillectomy hemorrhage, 7.7% receiving active treatment and 8.2% not. Post‐tonsillectomy hemorrhages proved to be most common in older patients and when peritonsillar abscess was in patient history. Conclusions Monopolar electrodissection tonsillectomy was fast and resulted in little intraoperative bleeding. However, postoperative hemorrhages were common, and the mean use of analgesics was for more than 10 days. Preoperative counseling must be thorough and realistic. Our results indicate that better methods for tonsillectomy still need to be developed.