European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

OUTCOME OF ENDOSCOPIC COBLATION TONSILLECTOMY AND CONVENTIONAL DISSECTION TONSILLECTOMY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF TONSILAR HYPERTROPHY - A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Biswanath Das*, Dipjyoti Majumder and Shatabdi Pal

ABSTRACT

Background: Tonsillar hypertrophy is a normal physiological part of development in children, but in certain instances, it may lead to throat pain, oropharyngeal obstruction and various uncomfortable & distressing symptoms. These problems can be relieved by surgeries like tonsillectomy. This study focuses on comparing the outcomes of two different tonsillectomy techniques: the endoscopic coblation method and the conventional dissection approach. Aim: This study aims to evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of endoscopic coblation tonsillectomy and conventional dissection tonsillectomy by assessing various parameters, including completeness of removal, intraoperative blood loss, surgical duration, postoperative pain, and recovery time. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study involved 40 patients, aged 4 to 16 years, who visited the ENT outpatient department of Tripura Medical College with tonsillar hypertrophy between April 2023 and March 2024. The participants were evenly divided into two groups: the Coblation group and conventional dissection group with 20 patients in each. Data collected from the study were processed, analyzed, and presented using MS Office and SPSS version 23 software as required. Results: This study reveals that the coblation technique demonstrates superiority over the conventional method in several aspects, including reduced intra-operative blood loss (9.45±2.65 ml), lower post-operative pain scores (2.95±0.51), shorter recovery time (2.35±0.49 days), and significantly enhanced completeness of tonsillar tissue removal. However, the coblation method is associated with a significantly longer surgical duration compared to the conventional approach. Conclusion: Endoscopic coblation tonsillectomy offers a more precise and patient-centered approach to treatment. Based on the study findings, while the coblation technique requires a longer operation time, its attractive benefits—such as reduced intraoperative blood loss, greater completeness of tissue removal, faster recovery, and lower postoperative pain—make it a preferred option for surgeons for tonsillectomy procedures.

Keywords: Tonsillar hypertrophy, Endoscopic coblation tonsillectomy, Conventional dissection tonsillectomy.