Comparison of Outpatient Harmonic Scalpel Tonsillectomy and Traditional Tonsillectomy in Sleep Disordered Breathing

ABSTRACT In this prospective study of 43 patients, 20 patients were operated by the outpatient harmonic scalpel tonsillectomy. The outpatient harmonic scalpel technique was performed by local injection with 2% Xylocaine with 1:80,000 adrenaline solution around palatine tonsils and using harmonic scalpel for dissecting tissue at superior pole until inferior pole of tonsil. Harmonic scalpel will cut and stop bleeding simultaneously and then, using plain catgut 3-0 ligation at the inferior pole of tonsil stops bleeding from tonsil branch of facial artery. All of the patients were followed up for 1 and 3 weeks postoperatively; 19 of 20 (95%) patients who were operated by the outpatient harmonic scalpel tonsillectomy felt satisfied and in one case, the patients wound healing delayed for 3 weeks. All patients were discharged on the day of admission with no major complication. Twenty-three patients were operated by the traditional tonsillectomy as an inpatient. Twenty of 23 (87%) patients were satisfied and in three cases, the patients had delayed wound healing for 3 weeks. The results of the study conclude that the outpatient harmonic scalpel tonsillectomy is satisfactory and medical treatment cost also is cheaper than the traditional tonsillectomy for the majority of patients. How to cite this article Chanvimalueng W. Comparison of Outpatient Harmonic Scalpel Tonsillectomy and Traditional Tonsillectomy in Sleep Disordered Breathing. Int J Otorhinolaryngol Clin 2016;8(1):18-21