title: Complications of tonsillectomy: a comparison of techniques.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the postoperative complications of intracapsular tonsillectomy using a microdebrider with traditional electrodissection tonsillectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care pediatric referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 2944 patients undergoing tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy at our institution between January 1, 2002, and May 31, 2005, were reviewed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Incidence of delayed postoperative hemorrhage, return to the hospital or emergency department for pain or dehydration, and the need for revision surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 1731 patients in the intracapsular tonsillectomy group and 1212 in the traditional electrodissection tonsillectomy group. The incidence of delayed hemorrhage was 1.1% in the intracapsular tonsillectomy group and 3.4% in the traditional electrodissection tonsillectomy group (P < .001). For delayed hemorrhage requiring treatment in the operating room for control, the incidence was 0.5% in the intracapsular tonsillectomy group and 2.1% in the traditional electrodissection tonsillectomy group (P < .001). Treatment in the emergency department or hospital for pain or dehydration was necessary in 3.0% of the intracapsular tonsillectomy group and in 5.4% of the traditional electrodissection tonsillectomy group (P = .002). Eleven patients (0.64%) in the intracapsular tonsillectomy group required revision tonsillectomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intracapsular tonsillectomy has a lower incidence of postoperative hemorrhage and pain leading to hospital-based evaluation compared with traditional electrodissection tonsillectomy.
authors: Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE 19899, USA. rschmidt@nemours.org
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Schmidt
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Herzog
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Cook
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: O'Reilly
authors: Ellen
authors: E
authors: Deutsch
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Reilly
mesh_terms: D000233:Adenoidectomy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003681:Dehydration / Q000209:etiology; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012307:Risk Factors; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000601:surgery*