“POST-TONSILLECTOMY COMPLICATIONS: A COMPARISON BETWEEN COLD-STEEL DISSECTION AND ELECTROCAUTERY METHODS IN A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL”
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Keywords
Tonsillectomy, Cold-Steel Dissection, Electrocautery, Hemorrhage, Pain, Recovery Time, Post-Operative Complications.
Abstract
Background: Tonsillectomy is a routine surgical procedure that is done on different grounds, such as frequent infections and obstructive sleep apnea. Tonsillectomy can be performed in various ways, but the most common methods are cold-steel dissection and electrocauterization. The approaches vary regarding postoperative complications such as hemorrhage, pain, and time to recovery.
Objective: This article aimed to compare post-tonsillectomy complications between cold-steel dissection and electrocautery about hemorrhage rate, pain levels, infection rate, and time of recovery.
Methods: The study was a randomized controlled trial conducted at Naseer Teaching Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan in the duration from January, 2025 to June, 2025 involving 100 patients who underwent tonsillectomy with either cold-steel dissection or electrocautery. Hemorrhage, pain (Visual Analog Scale), infection, and time to recovery rates were computed and evaluated.
Results: Electrocautery was also identified to be less susceptible to bleeding, less prone to post-surgical pain, and recovery was shorter, compared to cold-steel dissection. There were no significant differences between groups in either method regarding infection rate.
Conclusion: Electrocautery offers significant advantages in bleeding control, pain relief, and post-operative recovery time. However, more long-term studies will be necessary to assess the implications for the tissue-healing process and other complications.
References
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Dr Erum Mushtaq
Senior Registrar of ENT, Naseer Teaching Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan
Dr Haseeb Ahmed
Senior House Officer, Department of ENT, University Hospital Waterford
Arif Ahmad
ENT Registrar, University Hospital Waterford Ireland
Dr Arshad Abbas
Associate Professor, Department of ENT, Gajju Khan Medical College, Swabi, KPK
Dr Muhammad Ashraf
Assistant Professor ENT, Naheed Medical College Lahore, Pakistan
Dr Ghulam Dastgir Khan
Associate Professor ENT, Sharif Medical and Dental College Lahore, Pakistan