2014 Volume 140 Pages 66-67
Tonsillectomy is a basic surgical procedure commonly carried out at many institutions. The most conventional procedure includes the palatine arch incision, the tonsillar capsule separation and tonsil removal using a snare. However, different institutions adopt various refinements in the procedure. Also, with advances in medical instruments, electrosurgical devices and other types of hot-knife are now used in addition to cold-knives such as scalpels and other knives used for incision. Under the current situation, instruction to residents is sometimes hampered due to the narrowness of the surgical view because it is not easy for residents and consultants to share the same view. It is also difficult for the consultant to check the residents’ work in detail. As refinements adopted at our institution, we use a hot-knife to suppress hemorrhage and an Angle Wider to ensure an adequate view and to protect the corners of the mouth. We also use an operating microscope so that the consultant and resident may have the same surgical view for easy and accurate instruction. In the present study, we compared the cold-knife and hot-knife procedures in tonsillectomies conducted by residents in their first year of training in our department. The refinement of the procedure adopted by our institution allowed easy instruction, decreased operation time, suppressed hemorrhage and reduced hospitalization days.
