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Clinical Trial
. 2004 Nov;131(5):732-5.
doi: 10.1016/j.otohns.2004.04.031.

Contact diode laser tonsillectomy in children

Riccardo D'Eredità  1 , Roger R Marsh
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Contact diode laser tonsillectomy in children

Riccardo D'Eredità et al. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2004 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: To compare contact diode laser (CDL) tonsillectomy to monopolar cautery (MPC) with regard to pain and other morbidity during recovery.

Study design and setting: Single-blind, randomized trial in a tertiary-care pediatric hospital. Tonsillectomy was performed by CDL in 30 children and by MPC in 28. Parents completed a daily questionnaire for 10 days after surgery.

Results: There was significantly less pain in the CDL group than in the MPC group. The CDL group also required much less medication, and was much less likely to experience multiple awakenings (P < 0.001 for all comparisons).

Conclusion: Recovery after CDL tonsillectomy was associated with much less pain and discomfort than after MPC surgery.

Significance: Postoperative pain is a major concern for surgeons, patients, and their parents. The long recovery period also has costs in school days missed for the child and work missed for the parents. CDL tonsillectomy may greatly mitigate these burdens.

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