Comparison of Cold Technique Tonsillectomy and Thermal Welding Tonsillectomy at Different Age Groups

The aim of this study is to compare objectively advantages and disadvantages of cold technique tonsillectomy and thermal welding tonsillectomy at the same case. A total of 100 patients, 53 patients younger than 12 years of age and 47 patients elder than 12 years of age, were included in this study. Tonsillectomy was performed by using cold technique on the right side of the palatine tonsils and thermal welding on the left side. Right and left sides were compared regarding perioperative bleeding, surgical dissection time, postoperative pain scale at the 1st and 7th day and postoperative bleeding parameters. Perioperative bleeding was found to be higher in cold technique side in patients younger than 12 years of age (p<0.001). Postoperative pain score on the day 1 was significantly higher in cold technique side, whereas it was found to be higher in thermal welding side at postoperative day 7 (p<0.001). Perioperative bleeding was found to be significantly higher in cold technique side (p<0.001) and surgical dissection time of thermal welding was found to be longer (p<0.001) in patients elder than 12 years of age. Postoperative pain score at the day 1 and day 7 was found to be higher in thermal welding side (p<0.001). Postoperative pain score at the day 1 and day 7 were statistically significantly higher in patients elder than 12 years of age. As a result, both techniques have its unique superior aspects and both can be applied as a routine tonsillectomy technique.