Comparison of diode laser tonsillectomy and bipolar cauterization tonsillectomy

Abstract

Background: Tonsillectomy is routinely done in recurrent tonsillitis, obstructive sleep apnea and in case of tonsillar hypertrophy. Several methods such as diode laser tonsillectomy and bipolar electrocautery have been done to enhance parameters such as bleeding, recovery period, and postoperative events.

Objectives: To compare the outcomes of diode laser tonsillectomy and bipolar cauterization tonsillectomy in terms of intraoperative efficiency, postoperative recovery, and complications.

Methods: The present study is a prospective comparative study carried out at Rawal Institute of Health Sciences (RIHS), Islamabad from January 2023 to December 2023. A total of 100 patients were randomly selected for the diode laser tonsillectomy procedure and bipolar cauterization tonsillectomy. Various details such as intraoperative parameters, postoperative pain, time to start a normal diet, and the complication/s that ensued were documented and compared.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 26.5±5.2 years, with gender distribution was 50% male and 50% females. Diode laser tonsillectomy resulted in shorter operating time (25.0±5.0 min), decreased blood loss (5.0±2.0 ml), reduced pain score at day 7 (1.5±0.5 points) and faster postoperative recovery than bipolar cauterization (p < 0.001). The frequency of secondary haemorrhage in the diode laser patients (2%) was also noticeably less.

Conclusion: Diode laser tonsillectomy is characterized by fewer post-operative complications, shorter time of treatment, and faster healing compared to classical methods of tonsillectomy due to high cost it is not popular.