Comparative Post-operative Pain Analysis Between Coblator Assisted and Bipolar Diathermy Tonsillectomy in Paediatric Patients

Abstract

Tonsillectomy is one of the commonly performed otolaryngological operations. Despite a range of different techniques post-operative pain remains a major side-effect of this operation. Coblation assisted tonsillectomy is a latest technique of tonsillectomy. This technique is said to be associated with less intra-operative bleeding and less postoperative morbidity. We conducted a study in 100 patients to compare the pain scores between coblation assisted and bipolar diathermy tonsillectomy by FLACC score and Wong Baker scale score. The data so collected was statistically analysed using a t test and p values were calculated. The p value was highly significant (p < 0.001) for both scores in coblation assisted tonsillectomy 6 h postoperatively and on 1st postoperative day (p < 0.05). On 7th post-operative day however there was no significant difference in post-operative pain score using FLACC score in both groups but Wong baker scale scores were still significant. We concluded that post-operative pain was less with coblator assisted tonsillectomy as compared to bipolar diathermy tonsillectomy at least in early post-operative period.

Keywords: Coblation; Pain score; Tonsillectomy.

Fig. 1

Mean FLACC score. Mean FLACC score 6 hours post-operatively was 2.34 ± 0.55 in Coblation assisted tonsillectomy group and 4.68±0.95 in Bipolar Diathermy tonsillectomy group. Mean FLACC score on 1st postoperative day was 2.44 ± 0.64 in Coblation assisted tonsillectomy group and 4.29 ± 0.96 in Bipolar Diathermy group . Mean FLACC score on 7th post operative day was 2.12 ± 0.38 in coblation assisted tonsillectomy group and 3.08±0.922 in Bipolar Diathermy group

Fig. 2

Mean Wong Baker pain scale score. Mean wong baker pain scale score for Post op 6 hours in coblation group is 2.92 ± 1.08 and bipolar group is 4.4 ± 0.83. Mean Wong baker pain scale score for 1stPost operative day in coblation group is 2.1 ± 0.45 and bipolar group is 5 ± 1.63. Mean Wong Baker pain scale score for 7th postoperative day in coblation group is 2.12 ± 0.479 and Bipolar group is 2.88 ± 1.002