Publication:

A comparative study of coblation assissted adenotonsillectomy and cold dissection adenotonsillectomy in children

Background The aim of the present study was to compare intraoperative blood loss, operative duration and postoperative pain between coblation-assisted adenotonsillectomy and cold dissection adenotonsillectomy in children.

Methods A prospective, randomized, single-blind trial of pediatric patients aged 7 to 13 years undergoing adenotonsillectomy was conducted. Patients were randomized to undergo either cold dissection or coblation-assisted adenotonsillectomy. Measured intraoperative parameters included surgical duration and intraoperative blood loss. Measured postoperative parameters included a daily pain rating using the visual analog scale on the postoperative evening, postoperative day 1 and day 7. Intraoperative and postoperative measures were statistically compared between the two groups.

Results Sixty children were randomized and included in the study. 30 patients underwent cold dissection adenotonsillectomy and 30 coblation-assisted adenotonsillectomy. Mean age was 8.7 years in the coblation group and 9.1 years in the cold dissection group. Intraoperative blood loss was lower for the coblation assisted adenotonsillectomy group versus the cold dissection adenotonsillectomy group which was proved statistically (mean bleeding was 16.67 in coblation group and 58.67 in cold dissection group and p value <0.0001).There was statistically no significant difference in the mean pain scores in the 2 groups in the postoperative evening and on postoperative day 1. The mean pain scores on postoperative day 7 were found to be 3.4 in the coblation group and 2.47 in the cold dissection group with a significant p value of 0.0087. The average duration of surgery in the coblation group was 55.6 minutes as against 34.1 minutes in the cold dissection group. The p- value was found to be less than 0.0001 which makes the difference statistically significant.

Conclusions This study found that the intraoperative blood loss was significantly less in Coblation adenotonsillectomy than in cold dissection adenotonsillectomy. The duration of surgery in Coblation assisted adenotonsillectomy is significantly greater than the duration of surgery in cold dissectionadenotonsillectomy. While the postoperative pain scores are similar with coblation and cold dissection adenotonsillectomy in the early postoperative period, it is significantly more with coblation in the late postoperative period.