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Tonsillectomy-Comparative Study of Various Techniques and Changing Trend

Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery volume 69, pages 549–558 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Tonsillectomy is a major surgical procedure in terms of volume in the general otolaryngological practice. It is a 3000-year-old surgical operation, referred in Hindu medicine. There has been a conceptual change in the indications and surgical technique in the last 40 years. A comparative study between the various methods of tonsillectomy was done. The study was carried out in the single institutional set up by the same surgeon but using different techniques. The study aimed at comparing the intra-operative factors (blood loss, time taken for surgery), postoperative results (pain, bleeding, dehydration, time taken for complete healing), and other complications like vomiting and hospitalization time between different groups of surgical methods. This study was done in 2500 patients undergoing tonsillectomy with or without adenoid removal in a period of 35 years (1979–2013). The majority of the patients (approximately 41%) in the first half of this period underwent cold steel tonsillectomy whereas 39% underwent microdebrider assisted tonsillectomy. Microdebrider assisted tonsil surgery was done as day care procedure in 90%. In 21% of the patients, other methods viz coblation, radio frequency and laser were used. Microdebrider intracapsular tonsillectomy is associated with lower mortality and morbidity as compared to cold steel, coblation, electrodissection, laser and radio frequency.

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Abbreviations

LAST:

Laser assisted serial tonsillectomy

LAUP:

Laser assisted uvulopalatopharygoplasty

PIT:

Powered partial intracapsular tonsillectomy

OSA:

Obstructive sleep apnea

SDB:

Sleep-disordered breathing

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Affiliations

  1. Verma Hospital and Research Centre, Gujral Nagar, Jalandhar, 144001, India

    Ravinder Verma, Ravneet Ravinder Verma & Rohan Ravinder Verma

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  1. Ravinder Verma
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Verma, R., Verma, R.R. & Verma, R.R. Tonsillectomy-Comparative Study of Various Techniques and Changing Trend. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 69, 549–558 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-017-1190-6

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Keywords

  • Tonsillitis
  • Tonsillectomy
  • Adenotonsillectomy
  • Sleep disordered breathing