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Published on: November 6, 2019
Past and present instrument use in pediatric adenotonsillectomy
David L Walner1, Noah P Parker, Robert P Miller
1Department of Otolaryngology and Bronchoesophagology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA. dwalner@comcast.net
Objective:
Examine changing trends/instrument usage for pediatric adenotonsillectomy.
Study Design And Setting:
Survey of 300 members of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology assessing instruments used in adenotonsillectomy currently and over the past 15 years.
Results:
A total of 120 surveys were returned. The most common total tonsillectomy instruments for obstruction/infection were: monopolar electrocautery (ME) (53.1%/54.5%) and coblation (CT) (16.0%/16.1%). The most common subtotal tonsillectomy instrument for obstruction/infection was microdebrider (51.4%/30.8%). Over the past 15 years, ME predominated, cold utilization declined, and CT rose. The most common adenoidectomy instruments were ME (25.0%/25.0%), curette with touch-up ME (22.4%/22.4%), and microdebrider with touch-up ME (19.0%/14.7%). Over the past 15 years, curette with touch-up ME predominated early, curette utilization alone declined, and ME, microdebrider, and CT have risen.
Conclusion:
Pediatric otolaryngologist technique/instrument use for adenotonsillectomy has changed over the past 15 years. This study may be limited by the low survey response rate.
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