title: Pediatric intracapsular tonsillectomy with bipolar electrosurgical scissors.
abstract: This article describes the benefits of performing intracapsular tonsillectomy with bipolar electrosurgical scissors as an alternative to the powered microdebrider These scissors are used to excise approximately 90% of the tonsillar mass en bloc. The remaining tonsillar tissue is electrodesiccated by monopolar suction cautery, while the anterior and posterior pillars are completely preserved. The procedure leaves a smaller surgical wound than do extracapsular techniques. Surgical time averages 6 minutes. There is typically no intraoperative blood loss. Bipolar electrosurgical scissors are an efficient and low-cost tool for performing pediatric intracapsular tonsillectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the Temple University School of Medicine and the Temple University Children's Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA. glenn@ent.temple.edu
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isaacson
mesh_terms: D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014945:Wound Healing