Secondary Heamorrhage After Cold Steel Tonsillectomy: An Audit Performed in Shalamar Hospital

Introduction: Tonsillectomy is a common surgical procedure in which post tonsillectomy heamorrhage remains the most serious complication. The cold steel dissection method is the oldest and safest method used to perform tonsillectomies. Aims & Objectives: This study was done to see the frequency of posttonsillectomy heamorrhage with cold steel dissection method. It was a clinical audit performed retrospectively to compare our results with International standards. Place and duration of study: Our clinical audit was conducted at Otolaryngology department in Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. This study was conducted in a period of 6 months. Material & Methods: The charts of patients (n=344) that underwent tonsillectomy at Shalamar Hospital from January 2016 till December 2019 were retrospectively viewed, in a cross-sectional, pilot study, using convenience sampling technique. All the tonsillectomy procedures were performed using the cold steel dissection method. Frequencies were recorded and chi-square test was applied. Results: The complication of secondary heamorrhage occurred in 7 patients and the frequency was calculated as 2%. A significant difference (P=0.01) of age was found in patients suffering from secondary heamorrhage. The incidence was lower in patients below 18 years of age (0.7%) as compared to patients above 18 years of age (7.14%). The rate of heamorrhage was found to be slightly higher in males than in females (2.6% and 1.31% respectively). Conclusion: We conclude that the rate of secondary heamorrhage in our institution is up to the rate reported in literature. Different hot techniques for tonsillectomy should also be performed in clinical settings and compared with the standard cold steel dissection tonsillectomy.

Electrocautery versus cold steel tonsillectomy comparison study

Objective: the objective of this study was to compare the intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative time, postoperative pain and secondary hemorrhage between electrodissection and cold steel dissection tonsillectomy. Methods: One hundred and six patients were enrolled in this study, the patients were randomly allocated into electrodissection group A (n=51) and cold steel dissection tonsillectomy group B (n=53). All patients are above 7 years and had history of recurrent tonsillitis and/or tonsillar hypertrophy with obstructive symptoms. Intraoperative parameters and postoperative outcome were assessed. Results: In group A patients had statically significant less operative time and blood loss than group B early postoperative pain was not differ significantly between the two groups, however late onset pain (pain on the 7th day) was significantly higher in group A. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding secondary hemorrhage. Conclusion: Electrodissection tonsillectomy is rapid, safe and effective method of tonsillectomy with obvious advantage of minimum perioperative blood loss, lower operative time and without early post-operative pain difference when compared to cold steel dissection tonsillectomy. Although it has some disadvantage of late postoperative pain.

Coblation tonsillectomy versus cold steel dissection tonsillectomy: a morphological study

ObjectiveTo compare the extent of tissue damage produced by conventional cold steel and coblation tonsillectomy.MethodsTwenty patients underwent conventional and 18 underwent coblation tonsillectomy. The removed tonsils were histopathologically evaluated.ResultsAnalgesic use was lower in the coblation group during the early post-operative period. Histological investigation of tonsils removed by the conventional method showed intensive haemorrhage and hyperaemia in the tonsillar capsules, which was not seen in the coblation group. Furthermore, in the coblation group, there was less mast cell degranulation (p = 0.0081) and a smaller amount of skeletal muscle tissue (p = 0.0043) in the tonsillar capsules, indicating less tissue damage.ConclusionCompared to the cold steel technique, coblation tonsillectomy is superior in terms of less early post-operative pain and less damage to surrounding tissues. Significantly lower mast cell degranulation in coblation tonsillectomy may contribute to the reduction of post-operative pain.

TONSILLECTOMY IN PAEDIATRIC POPULATION

Objectives: To compare mean operative time and Intra operative blood lossbetween bipolar electro dissection and cold dissection tonsillectomy in paediatric population.Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration: Department of ENT and Headand Neck Surgery, Continental Medical College, Hospital Lahore, from 1 January 2015 to 30September 2015. Materials and Methods: This study included 164 patients of age group 4 to12 years of either gender undergoing tonsillectomy. The patients were divided into two equalgroups designated as A and B each having 82 patients using simple random sampling. Patientsin group A were operated for tonsillectomy by bipolar electrocautry while group B underwenttonsillectomy by cold steel dissection method. All patients in both groups were assessed foroperating time and intra-operative blood loss. Results: Out of 82 cases of Bipolar DissectionGroup 49(60%) patients were male and 33(40%) patients were female. Whereas in 82 casesof Cold Dissection Group 51(62%) patients were male and 31(38%) patients were female.Mean age of patients was 7.2(SD ± 1.97) years. Mean operation time was 15 minutes withstandard deviation ± 1.21 in group A as compared to group B where mean operation time was20 minutes with standard deviation ± 1.87. Mean blood loss was 7 ml with standard deviation± 2.53 in patients of group A as compared to Patients in group B who mean blood loss of 30ml with standard deviation ± 3.46. Group A had statistically significant lower operative time andblood loss than group B. Conclusion: Tonsillectomy with bipolar electro dissection method ismuch better than cold steel dissection method. It has an advantage of less blood loss duringsurgery. It significantly reduces intra operative time.

What Are the Trends in Tonsillectomy Techniques in Wales? A Prospective Observational Study of 19,195 Tonsillectomies over a 10-Year Period

There are a multitude of techniques to undertake tonsillectomy, with hot techniques such as diathermy and coblation being associated with a higher risk of secondary haemorrhage. The UK National Prospective Tonsillectomy Audit (2004) advocated cold steel dissection and ties to be the gold standard. This prospective observational study investigates the trends in tonsillectomy techniques across Wales in the last decade to establish if surgeons have adhered to this national guidance. Data relating to tonsillectomy were extracted over a 10-year period from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2012 from the Wales Surgical Instrument Surveillance Programme database. A total of 19,195 patients were included. Time-series analysis using linear regression showed there was an increase in the number of bipolar diathermy tonsillectomies by 84% (Pearson’sr=0.762,p=0.010) and coblation tonsillectomies by 120% (r=0.825,p=0.003). In contrast, there was a fall in the number of cold steel dissection tonsillectomies with ties by 60% (r=-0.939,p<0.001). This observational study suggests that the use of bipolar and coblation techniques for tonsillectomy has increased. This deviation from national guidance may be due to these techniques being faster with less intraoperative bleeding. Further study for the underlying reasons for the increase in these techniques is warranted.

Six years of evidence-based adult dissection tonsillectomy with ultrasonic scalpel, bipolar electrocautery, bipolar radiofrequency or ‘cold steel’ dissection

Objective:To conduct an adequately powered, prospective, randomised, controlled trial comparing adult dissection tonsillectomy using either ultrasonic scalpel, bipolar electrocautery, bipolar radiofrequency or ‘cold steel’ dissection.Methods:Three hundred patients were randomised into four tonsillectomy technique groups. The operative time, intra-operative bleeding, post-operative pain, tonsillar fossa healing, return to full diet, return to work and post-operative complications were recorded.Results:The bipolar radiofrequency group had a shorter mean operative time. The mean intra-operative blood loss during bipolar radiofrequency tonsillectomy was significantly less compared with cold dissection and ultrasonic scalpel tonsillectomy. Pain scores were significantly higher after bipolar electrocautery tonsillectomy. Patients undergoing bipolar electrocautery tonsillectomy required significantly more days to return to full diet and work. The bipolar electrocautery group showed significantly reduced tonsillar fossa healing during the first and second post-operative weeks.Conclusion:In this adult series, bipolar radiofrequency tonsillectomy was superior to ultrasonic, bipolar electrocautery and cold dissection tonsillectomies. This method combines the advantages of ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ tonsillectomy.

Guillotine versus dissection tonsillectomy: randomised, controlled trial

Objective:This trial aimed to compare the guillotine technique of tonsillectomy with ‘cold steel’ dissection, the current ‘gold standard’.Design:A single centre, randomised, controlled trial.Methods:One hundred children aged 3 to 11 years who were listed for bilateral tonsillectomy were recruited. Patients had one tonsil removed by each technique, and were blinded to the side. The operative time, intra-operative blood loss, haemostasis requirement and post-operative pain scores were recorded and compared.Results:Operative time and intra-operative blood loss were both significantly less for the guillotine technique (p < 0.001) and there was a significantly reduced haemostasis requirement (p < 0.001). Pain was also less on the guillotine side (p < 0.001). There were no tonsillar remnants or palatal trauma for either technique. There was no significant difference between techniques in the frequency of secondary haemorrhage.Conclusion:This study provides level Ib evidence that guillotine tonsillectomy in children with mobile tonsils is an effective and time-efficient procedure which produces less intra-operative blood loss and post-operative pain than cold steel dissection.