Traditional tonsillectomy compared with bipolar radiofrequency thermal ablation tonsillectomy in adults: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES To assess the morbidity and efficacy of bipolar radiofrequency thermal ablation tonsillectomy and compare it with traditional cold dissection tonsillectomy with diathermy hemostasis. DESIGN Prospective, randomized, single-blinded, controlled clinical study. SETTING Helsinki University Central Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Helsinki, Finland. PATIENTS Forty healthy volunteer patients aged 18 to 65 years admitted for elective tonsillectomy with recurrent or chronic tonsillitis, obstructive tonsillar hypertrophy, or history of quinsy. Two patients were excluded from the study and 1 patient cancelled the operation. INTERVENTIONS Nineteen patients underwent a traditional cold dissection tonsillectomy with diathermy hemostasis, and 18 patients underwent a bipolar radiofrequency thermal ablation tonsillectomy. There was no intergroup difference in age, sex, weight, and indications for tonsillectomy. The subjects were not informed of the type of procedure until the telephone interview 3 weeks after the operation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Operating time and intraoperative blood loss; need for anesthetics during the operation; different recovery indicators in the recovery room (ie, duration and medications administered), surgical ward (ie, medications administered, use of corticosteroids, general condition, and status of the uvula on the first postoperative day), and in the 2 weeks following surgery (ie, visual analog scale scores on 6 symptoms, medications needed, the day patients returned to work, use of antibiotics, and retreatment acceptance); and complications and certain laboratory parameters. RESULTS There was a statistically significant but clinically insignificant difference in operating time and intraoperative blood loss in favor of the traditional tonsillectomy group. The other outcome measures showed no statistically significant differences. CONCLUSION Bipolar radiofrequency thermal ablation and traditional tonsillectomy were associated with similar postoperative morbidity.