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Coblation tonsillectomy versus cold steel dissection tonsillectomy: a morphological study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 August 2019

N Lieberg ,
M Aunapuu  and
A Arend
N Lieberg
Affiliation:
Ear Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
M Aunapuu
Affiliation:
Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Department of Anatomy, University of Tartu, Estonia
A Arend*
Affiliation:
Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Department of Anatomy, University of Tartu, Estonia
*
Author for correspondence: Dr Andres Arend, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Department of Anatomy, University of Tartu, 19 Ravila Street, Tartu 50411, Estonia E-mail: andres.arend@ut.ee
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Abstract

Objective

To compare the extent of tissue damage produced by conventional cold steel and coblation tonsillectomy.

Methods

Twenty patients underwent conventional and 18 underwent coblation tonsillectomy. The removed tonsils were histopathologically evaluated.

Results

Analgesic 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.

Conclusion

Compared 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.

Keywords

TonsillectomyCoblationPainMast Cells

Information

Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 133 , Issue 9 , September 2019 , pp. 770 - 774
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited, 2019 

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Footnotes

Dr A Arend takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

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