title: Tonsillar fossa obliteration and post-operative pain.
abstract: Fifty consecutive patients over the age of 15 years undergoing tonsillectomy had one tonsillar fossa obliterated by 2/0 Polydioxanone (PDS II) suture. The opposite side was used as a control. Pain was assessed on a visual analogue scale from the first to tenth post-operative day. Although on the initial post-operative days the pain was more on the sutured side, 41 patients subsequently experienced significant pain relief on that side (P = 0.0001). No complications were encountered due to the tonsillar fossa obliteration. On the 10 day review, the 41 patients indicated in their questionnaire that tonsillar fossa obliteration is a useful procedure to reduce the post-operative pain and would have preferred both sides to be obliterated rather than left to heal by secondary intention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Whiston Hospital, Prescot, UK.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nandapalan
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: McIlwain
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000601:surgery*; D016687:Polydioxanone; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013537:Sutures; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D016687:Polydioxanone