Comparative study between tonsillectomy with thermal welding and conventional cold steel techniques

Various tonsillectomy techniques had been adopted for many years; however, the ambition is the access to an entirely safe and efficient modality. This study aims to compare efficacy of thermal welding and cold steel dissection tonsillectomy techniques. A prospective study, in Al-Yarmouk teaching hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, from 2017 to 2018, were done, in whom 100 eligible patients for tonsillectomy, were evenly and randomly divided into group "A" whom underwent thermal welding tonsillectomy, and group "B" whom underwent cold steel dissection tonsillectomy. The outcomes of both groups were assessed for operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hemorrhages, postoperative pain, speed of tonsillar fossae healing process, and time return to normal diet.  Results shown operative time was 11.0±1.4 min in group "A", and 29.6±12.4 min in group "B", P=0.001, mean amount of intraoperative blood loss was 17.4±1.3 ml in group "A", and 53.2±18.8 ml in group "B", P=0.001, primary and secondary postoperative hemorrhages statically significant lower in group “A”, P=0.025. Mean postoperative pain score in the group "A" was 1.6± 0.5, and in group "B" 2.725±0.7, P=0.001, as well as, mean time to return to normal diet was 5.4± 0.8 days in group "A", and 8.2±0.4 days in group "B", P=0.012, also tonsillar fossae healing process was clinically faster in group "A". So it concluded, thermal welding tonsillectomy showed better outcomes regarding reduction in both intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hemorrhages, postoperative pain, also shortening in operative time and quicker return to normal diet, as well as, clinically faster tonsillar fossae healing process.