INTRAOPERATIVE BLOOD LOSS & OPERATING TIME IN TONSILLECTOMY: IS ELECTRODISSECTION BETTER?

Abstract

Objective:

To compare bipolar electrodissection with cold dissection paediatric tonsillectomy in terms of operative time and intra-operative blood loss.

Methods:

This is a prospective randomized study performed in 30 children age less or equal to 13 years undergoing tonsillectomy in Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery, TU Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, between October 2007 and December 2008. In both techniques, duration of surgery and amount of blood loss were recorded and compared. Statistical analysis was done using student t- test.

Results:

Out of 30 children (60 tonsils), 30 tonsils underwent tonsillectomy by bipolar electrodissection and 30 tonsils by cold dissection. Mean duration of surgery and mean blood loss in bipolar electrodissection were 14.88 minutes and 7.38 ml respectively while in cold dissection group, they were 23.03 minutes and 11.73 ml respectively. (p- value less than 0.001- highly significant).

Conclusion:

Bipolar electrodissection is a safe technique which reduces the duration of surgery and blood loss as compared with cold dissection group.

Keywords: electrodissection