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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
CO2-Lasertonsillotomy Under Local Anesthesia in Adults
Published on: November 6, 2019
Postoperative pain after adult tonsillectomy with PlasmaKnife compared to monopolar electrocautery
Timothy Clenney1, Ashley Schroeder, Peter Bondy
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA. timothy.clenney@med.navy.mil
Objectives/Hypothesis:
Monopolar cautery is the most commonly used technique for tonsillectomy. The aim of the present study is to compare postoperative pain using a new technology, PlasmaKnife tonsillectomy (PKT), in comparison with monopolar cautery tonsillectomy (MCT).
Study Design:
Prospective, randomized, single-blinded, self-controlled study using paired organs.
Methods:
Thirty-two adult patients, aged 18 to 30 years, scheduled for tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis were included. Patients were randomly assigned to undergo PKT on one side and MCT on the opposite side. The primary outcome was self-rated daily pain assessed by using a 10-point scale. Patients were provided 21-day pain diaries and were phoned twice weekly by a research assistant to assess pain and remind them to complete diaries. Secondary outcomes included comparisons of operative time, blood loss, and postoperative complications.
Results:
Repeated measures analysis of variance comparing PKT to MCT during the 21-day postoperative period revealed no difference in postoperative pain between the two groups (P = .131). In addition, total operative time (P = .276) and blood loss (P = .418) did not differ significantly between PKT and MCT.
Conclusions:
Adult subjects undergoing PKT do not experience less postoperative pain in comparison to MCT.
