title: Protocol for post-tonsillectomy pain control in outpatient adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Even though notable advances in anaesthetic and surgical techniques have appeared in recent years, morbidity, and especially pain, associated with tonsillectomy is still an important clinical problem.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Assess the influence of a specific protocol for the control of postoperative pain and compare the frequency of complications in patients with and without it.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a descriptive, observational and prospective study on adult tonsillectomy patients in outpatient surgery. There were 2 groups: group 1, with 65 patients to whom a variable analgesic treatment was given; and group 2, with 50 patients with analgesic protocol and preoperative nursing interview. For the evaluation of pain, a numerical scale from 0 to 10 was used. The surgical techniques used were cold dissection or electric dissection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the 4(th) day, group 1 (without protocol) presented a mean pain of 4.8 points on a numerical scale from 0 to 10, while group 2 (with protocol) presented mean of 3 (P=.0002). From group 1, 22 patients (36%) had to go to the emergency service, while 8 (16%) in group 2 did so (P=.019). On the 4(th) day, patients operated with cold dissection presented 3.7 points, as opposed to those operated with electric dissection, who presented 4.4 points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A specific protocol applied to adult tonsillectomy patients in outpatient surgery is useful to obtain less pain and fewer complications.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Cirugía Mayor Ambulatoria, Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias, España. luzcolloto@gmail.com
authors.forename: María L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Magdalena
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caragol
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Solé
authors.forename: Vanesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cillero
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014068:Tonsillectomy; D055815:Young Adult