Studies from O.S. Sezen et al provide new data on tonsillectomy
December 15th, 2008
2008 DEC 15 -- According to recent research from Istanbul, Turkey, "The aim of this study was the evaluation of length of the procedure, anaesthesia, the amount of the intraoperative fluid required, total blood loss and postoperative pain of the 'thermal welding system tonsillectomy (TWS)' compared with the conventional 'cold dissection tonsillectomy'. Fifty patients aged between 3 and 28 years were included in this prospective controlled study."
"Extracapsular tonsillectomy with TWS was carried out on 25 patients and conventional 'cold' extracapsular dissection complete tonsillectomy was carried out on the other 25 patients. Haemostasis was achieved with packing and 3/0 chromic catgut suture is used to treat the persistently bleeding sites in the 'cold' tonsillectomy group. Intraoperatively, the duration of the procedure, anaesthesia, the amount of the required intraoperative fluid, the total blood loss and the number of sutures were documented for each patient. In the hospital, the postoperative amount of intravenous fluids, oral intake (timing of onset and amount), the duration and the total dose of analgesics were recorded. Daily assessment included the type of diet, the level of appetite, the total number of analgesics, the presence of fever, the time required to return to normal activity and the pain score (twice daily). Pain was measured by means of Faces Pain Scale and Visual Analogue Scale. There was a statistically and clinically significant difference in the operating time in the intraoperative blood loss in favour of the conventional tonsillectomy group (P > 0.05). Although there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups for the postoperative evening pain scores (P > 0.05), there was a statistically significant difference for the morning pain scores (P < 0.05) in the first 2 days postoperatively (P > 0.05) and in the level of appetite in the first postoperative day (P > 0.05). The other outcome measures did not show any statistically significant difference. When we compared TWS with the conventional 'cold' dissection tonsillectomy, we found that TWS tonsillectomy offered an innovative new tonsillectomy method with significantly reduced blood loss and reduced surgical time and without any increase in the postoperative pain," wrote O.S. Sezen and colleagues.
The researchers concluded: "It was a useful method for tonsillectomy."
Sezen and colleagues published their study in Anz Journal of Surgery (COMPARISON BETWEEN TONSILLECTOMY WITH THERMAL WELDING AND THE CONVENTIONAL 'COLD' TONSILLECTOMY TECHNIQUE. Anz Journal of Surgery, 2008;78(11):1014-1018).
For additional information, contact O.S. Sezen, Altaycesme Mahallesi, Zuhal Sokak, Kayalarkent F Bl, TR-34843 Istanbul, Turkey.
Publisher contact information for the Anz Journal of Surgery is: Blackwell Publishing, 9600 Garsington Rd., Oxford OX4 2DQ, Oxon, England.
This article was prepared by Pain & Central Nervous System Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, Pain & Central Nervous System Week via NewsRx.com.
