%0 Journal Article
%T Comparison of Pediatric and Adult Tonsillectomies Performed by Thermal Welding System
%A Tolga Ers£¿zl¨¹
%A Yavuz Selim Y£¿ld£¿r£¿m
%A Selman Sarica
%J International Journal of Otolaryngology
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/265105
%X Objective. To compare pediatric and adult age groups in terms of postoperative bleeding and pain following tonsillectomy performed by thermal welding system (TWS). Method. The study consisted of 213 patients, of whom 178 were children and 35 were adults. The mean age of the pediatric patients (81 girls and 97 females) was years (range 3¨C13 years) and the mean age of the adults (20 males and 15 females) was years (range 15¨C41 years). All of the patients were evaluated in terms of postoperative bleeding and pain following tonsillectomy performed by TWS. Results. Bleeding was detected in the late postoperative period in 11 pediatric and 7 adult patients and of them 2 pediatric and 3 adult patients controlled under general. Postoperative bleeding was significantly less prevalent in the pediatric age group compared to the adult age group ( ). Likewise, postoperative pain was significantly less prevalent in the pediatric age group as compared to the adult age group ( ). Conclusion. Both postoperative bleeding and pain following tonsillectomy performed by TWS were more prevalent in the adult age group compared to the pediatric age group. 1. Introduction Tonsillectomy is the most common surgical procedure performed in the ear, nose, and throat practice. It is most frequently performed via cold dissection both in the pediatric and adult age group worldwide. Many hot dissection methods have been defined as an alternative to the cold dissection. Hot dissection methods include bipolar and/or monopolar electrocautery, radiofrequency, harmonic scalpel, coblator, and thermal welding system (TWS) [1]. Previous studies have reported and compared the outcomes of radiofrequency, TWS, cold knife, or monopolar electrocautery in terms of posttonsillectomy bleeding and pain [2]. Thermal welding is the technique that simultaneously uses heat and pressure to provide coagulation. In a study conducted on adults, tonsillectomies performed by TWS and bipolar electrocautery were compared in terms of intraoperative bleeding, operation duration, postoperative pain, time to regain normal diet, and postoperative bleeding [3, 4]. Multiparametric studies comparing a few methods have been conducted also in the pediatric age group [5]. However, studies comparing adult and pediatric patients in terms of postoperative bleeding and pain following tonsillectomy performed by TWS are limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the postoperative bleeding and pain following tonsillectomy performed by TWS in the pediatric and adult patients. 2. Materials and Method The
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijoto/2013/265105/