title: Comparison of postoperative pain in pediatric patients undergoing coblation tonsillectomy versus cautery tonsillectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare postoperative pain scores between monopolar electrocautery and coblation subcapsular tonsillectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective double-blind randomized study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care children's hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between December 2004 and April 2008, 61 children, ages 4 to 20 years (mean age, 10 years; SD, 4 years), were randomized to have one tonsil removed by electrocautery and the other tonsil removed by coblation. Subjects used the FACES scale to rate pain on each side immediately postoperatively, 2 days postoperatively, and 2 weeks postoperatively. Postoperative hemorrhage was also tracked.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Coblation tonsillectomy resulted in statistically less pain than electrocautery immediately after surgery, but this difference was not clinically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pediatric pain is similar following monopolar electrocautery or coblation subcapsular tonsillectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. dwight.jones@childrens.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Dwight T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kenna
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guidi
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Patrick R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Greg R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Licameli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002425:Cautery / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult