Popular techniques in tonsillectomy: A randomised, controlled study

Abstract

Tonsillectomy is one of the commonest operations performed by Otolaryngologists. Various methods of tonsillectomy have been practiced over the century aimed at reducing or eliminating intraoperative and postoperative morbidity. Aim: To compare the mean operative time, mean blood loss, post operative pain and complications in tonsillectomy using bipolar cautery and diode laser, versus conventional cold steel dissection tonsillectomy. Materials and Methods: A prospective, randomised controlled study of 90 patients to compare three tonsillectomy techniques: diode laser, bipolar cautery and classical cold dissection, from May 2016 to October 2019. Results: The operative time, blood loss and pain were significantly lower with tonsillectomy using bipolar cautery and diode laser tonsillectomy than with cold dissection tonsillectomy. Bipolar dissection took the shortest time on an average, whereas blood loss was the least with Diode Laser tonsillectomy. Post operative pain increased in the Laser group by the 5 th day. Conclusion: Both bipolar and diode laser tonsillectomy are associated with significantly reduced blood loss, shorter operative times and less post operative pain compared with cold dissection tonsillectomy. But there was no significant difference seen regarding the postoperative pain when comparing both the surgical methods, by the end of one week.