A double-blinded randomized controlled trial of coblation versus conventional dissection tonsillectomy on post- operative symptoms

• Published in: Clinical otolaryngology Vol. 30; no. 2; pp. 143 - 148
• Main Authors: Philpott, C.M., Wild, D.C., Mehta, D., Daniel, M., Banerjee, A.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2005; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Catheter Ablation - instrumentation; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications - epidemiology; Prospective Studies; Severity of Illness Index; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Tonsillectomy - instrumentation; Tonsillitis - surgery
• ISSN: 1749-4478; 1749-4486
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2273.2004.00953.x

Objectives:  The aim of this study was to compare postoperative symptoms following coblation tonsillectomy with those experienced following a traditional cold dissection. Design:  A prospective randomized controlled trial. Setting:  Secondary otorhinolaryngology care. Participants:  Ninety‐two adult patients with recurrent tonsillitis meriting tonsillectomy were recruited and randomly allocated into either coblation or cold dissection tonsillectomy groups. Main outcome measures:  Primary outcomes were post‐operative pain, otalgia, swallowing and analgesia use at 6–8 hours, 1, 3, 7 and 14 days post‐operative. Secondary outcomes were post‐operative day returned to eating and returned to normal activities/work. Results:  No significant differences between the two groups (P ≥ 0.1) were found in any of the above primary outcomes, apart from swallowing at 6–8 hrs post‐operatively where the cold dissection group had less pain. This group also returned earlier to normal eating (P = 0.03). The power of the study was sufficient to show a difference in the visual analogue scores of 2 between groups. Conclusions:  The use of coblation to perform tonsillectomy does not confer any symptomatic benefits to the patient over conventional cold dissection tonsillectomy.