To Örebro University

The Swedish National Registry for TonsilSurgery has been operational since 1997. All ENT clinicsin Sweden are encouraged to submit data for all patientsscheduled for tonsil surgery. Preoperatively, age, genderand indication are recorded. Postoperatively, method(tonsillectomy or tonsillotomy), technique, and perioperativecomplications are recorded. Postoperative bleedings,pain, infections, and symptom relief are assessed throughquestionnaires. An earlier report from this registry showedthat tonsillotomy had become more common than tonsillectomyin children with tonsil-related upper airwayobstruction. The aim of this study was to categorize whichinstruments were used for tonsillotomy in Sweden and tocompare their outcome and complication rate. All children2–18 years, reported to the registry from March 2009 untilSeptember 2012, who underwent tonsillotomy on theindication upper airway obstruction, were included in thestudy. 1,676 patients were identified. In 1,602 cases(96 %), a radiofrequency instrument was used. The postoperativebleeding rate was low (1.2 %) and the degree ofsymptom relief was high (95.1 %). Three different radiofrequencyinstruments (ArthroCare Coblation, EllmanSurgitron, and Sutter CURIS) were used in 96 % of thepatients. There were no significant differences in thenumber of postoperative bleedings, postoperative infectionsor symptom relief between the instruments. The onlydifference found was in the number of days on analgesics,where more days were registered after use of Coblation.In Sweden, radiofrequency tonsillotomy is the dominantsurgical technique used for tonsil hypertrophy causingupper airway obstruction in children. There are no significantdifferences in outcome between the different radiofrequencyinstruments except for number of days onanalgesics after surgery.