Comparison of Bipolar Diathermy Tonsillectomy Versus Cold Steel Dissection Tonsillectomy

Abstract

Objective: To compare mean Primary Blood loss and mean time taken to complete the procedure between conventional cold steel tonsillectomy versus bipolar diathermy tonsillectomy. Study Design: Randomized Control Trial. Settings: Department of ENT Unit-I, Allied hospital, Faisalabad. Duration: 6-month duration from: May 2019 to October 2019. Methodology: After taking approval from hospital ethical committee, patients coming through the OPD who fulfilled the selection criteria were enrolled and informed consent was obtained. All the basic demographic information of each patient (Name, age, sex, address and contact) was also noted. Using computer generated random number tables patients were randomized in two groups. In Group-A patient underwent conventional cold steel tonsillectomy and in Group-B underwent diathermy tonsillectomy. All procedures were done by single surgical team to avoid the bias.  From the start of the procedure till completion of tonsillectomy, the primary blood loss and time to complete the procedure was calculated. Results: Mean age was 14.83+5.84 years in Group-A and 15.63+5.59 years in Group-B, 62.86%(n=22) in Group-A and 57.14%(n=20) in Group-B were male whereas 37.14%(n=13) in Group-A and 42.86%(n=15) in Group-B were females. Comparison between conventional cold steel tonsillectomy versus bipolar diathermy tonsillectomy shows that 24.57+1.42ml in Group-A and 11.17+1.67ml blood loss in Group-B, p value was 0.001. Mean operative time (minutes) was recorded as 24.94+2.26 minutes in Group-A and 13.09+1.66 minutes in Group-B, p value was 0.0001. Conclusion: We concluded that mean Primary Blood loss and mean time taken to complete the procedure were significantly lower in bipolar diathermy tonsillectomy when compared to conventional cold steel tonsillectomy