Coblation®: Improving outcomes for children following adenotonsillectomy

Comparison of outcomes between thermal welding forceps, controlled ablation and monopolar electrosurgery for tonsillectomy in children

OBJECTIVE

To compare recovery from tonsillectomy using thermal welding forceps (TWF), controlled ablation (CA), and monopolar electrosurgery (MES) in children.

METHODS

This was a prospective single blinded observational study using data from electronic medical record (EMR) and caregiver completed patient diary, conducted at a community-based children's hospital within an academic program with tonsillectomy performed by attending surgeons. Children aged 3-17 years undergoing tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy by TWF, CA, or MES over a 4-year period were included. Demographics, intraoperative time for tonsillectomy, blood loss, patient diary documentation of pain levels, analgesic doses, diet type and events per day were recorded. In addition, EMR documentation of morbidity events (bleeding, visits for bleeding, return to operating room [OR], total visits or admissions, poor oral intake or dehydration) were noted. To assess for differences in baseline characteristics, we utilized analysis of variance and Pearson's χ² test. To determine primary outcomes, we used a multilevel mixed-effect linear regression model.

RESULTS

A total of 369 children were enrolled, and 346 who met inclusion criteria underwent tonsillectomy. The children were categorized by the instrument used by the surgeons: CA 32.4% (n = 112), MES 36.7% (n = 127), and TWF 30.9% (n = 107). Mean age overall was 6.8 ± 3.2 years, with 57.4% female and 42.6% male. Diary return rate was 52.3% (n = 181) overall, with CA at 48.2% (n = 54), MES at 44.8% (n = 57), and TWF at 65.4% (n = 70). Average pain on the day of surgery was different between instruments with CA having the lowest level of 2.0 compared to 2.7 for TWF and MES (p = 0.001). Maximum pain level for day of surgery were lowest for CA at 2.7 compared to 3.4 for MES and 3.5 for TWF (p = 0.003). Pain levels were lowest for TWF after postoperative day (POD) 6. Overall rate of bleeding was 9.3%, with 2.6% return to surgery for control of bleeding. TWF had the lowest rate of bleeds (4.7% versus CA 11.6% and MES 11.0%), return to surgery (0.0% versus CA 2.7% and MES 4.7%), the earliest and final return to regular diet at POD 5.8 and 8.1, respectively without reaching statistical significance.

CONCLUSION

CA had significantly lowest early pain levels on day 0-1 and trended lowest up to POD 6, after which TWF was lowest but did not reach statistical significance. TWF had the earliest return to regular diet. Children undergoing CA and MES are more likely to have a postoperative bleed and a return to the OR than TWF suggesting improved ability to seal vessels with the latter instrument. Further study with a larger sample is needed.

Clinical observation of soft palate-pharyngoplasty in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome in children

BACKGROUND

Childhood obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a common clinical disease that can cause serious complications if not treated in time. The preferred treatment for OSAHS in children is surgery.

AIM

To observe the effects of soft palate-pharyngoplasty on postoperative outcome, pharyngeal formation, and possible complications.

METHODS

A total of 150 children with snoring, hernia, and mouth breathing were selected. A polysomnography test was performed to confirm the diagnosis of OSAHS. The children were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group underwent adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, and soft palate-pharyngoplasty. The control group underwent adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy. The t-test and chi-square test were used to compare conditions such as postoperative fever, postoperative hemorrhage, and pharyngeal reflux. Postoperative efficacy and complications were interrogated and observed in the form of outpatient follow-up and telephone follow-up at 6 mo and 1 year after surgery. The curative effects were divided into two groups: Cure (snoring, snoring symptoms disappeared) and non-cure.

RESULTS

The effective rate of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The incidence of postoperative bleeding was lower in the experimental group. There was no postoperative pharyngeal reflux in either group. In the experimental group, the incidence of hyperthermia (body temperature exceeded 38.5 °C) was lower than that in the control group. The difference in postoperative swallowing pain scores between the experimental and control groups was significant.

CONCLUSION

Soft palate-pharyngoplasty can more effectively enlarge the anteroposterior diameter and transverse diameter of the isthmus faucium. Compared with surgery alone, it can better treat OSAHS in children, improve the curative effect, reduce the risk of perioperative bleeding, close the surgical cavity, reduce the risk of postoperative infection, reduce the proportion of postoperative fever, and accelerate healing. Although this process takes more time, it is simple, safe, and effective.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Vs Autologous Blood Vs Corticosteroid Injections in the Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis: A Systematic Review, Pairwise and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective

To compare the effectiveness of platelet‐rich plasma (PRP), autologous blood (AB), and corticosteroid injections in patients with lateral epicondylitis.

Type of Study

Network meta‐analysis.

Literature Survey

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared any two forms of injections among PRP, AB, and corticosteroid for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis were searched from inception to 30 November 2018, on PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library.

Methodology

Two researchers independently selected and assessed the quality of RCTs with the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. All relevant data from the included studies were extracted and heterogeneity was checked by Cochran's Q test and inconsistency statistic (I²). Publication bias was evaluated by constructing contour‐enhanced funnel plots. Stata 15 software was applied for pairwise meta‐analysis and network meta‐analysis. To explore the efficacy between different follow‐up periods, we considered the duration within 2 months to be short term, whereas 2 months or more was considered long term.

Synthesis

Twenty RCTs (n = 1271) were included in this network meta‐analysis. According to ranking probabilities, corticosteroid ranked first for visual analog score (VAS) (surface under the cumulative ranking [SUCRA] = 90.7), modified Nirschl score (82.9), maximum grip strength (69.5), modified Mayo score (MMS) (77.9), and Patient‐Related Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) score (93.3) for the short‐term period. For the long‐term period, PRP ranked first for VAS (94.3), pressure pain threshold (99.8), Disabilities of Arm Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score (75.2), MMS (88.2), and the PRTEE score (81.8).

Conclusion

PRP was associated with more improvement in pain intensity and function in the long term than were the comparators. However, in the short term, corticosteroids were associated with the most improvement.

The Comparison between Microdebrider Assisted Adenoidectomy and Coblation Adenoidectomy: Analyzing the Intraoperative Parameters and Post-operative Recovery

Microdebrider adenoidectomy and Coblation adenoidectomy are the two new techniques available for adenoidectomy these days. The advantages of endoscopic power assisted adenoidectomy over cold steel adenoidectomy has been well established in the literature. As adenoidectomy is one of the most common paediatric surgical procedure there is always a concern to improve the outcomes and make postoperative experience more pleasant for the paediatric population. Cost difference between a coblator wand and microdebrider blade is always a confounding factor in decision making. The present study was conducted to compare both the techniques of adenoidectomy in terms of certain intraoperative and post operative parameters. The present study was a prospective randomized single blind study conducted in a university hospital on 140 subjects. The patients diagnosed with chronic adenoiditis grade 3-4 were randomly allocated in two groups after following the exclusion and inclusion criteria. the adenoidectomy in two groups; Microdebrider group and Coblation group were compared in terms of intraoperative time, post operative pain score; intraoperative bleeding, surgical field and some common complications. The data was analysed for significance by various statistical tests. The average adenoid size operated in both groups was Grade 3. The intraoperative time taken to complete the procedure in group A was 12.78 ± 3.8 min and in group B was 22 ± 3.3 min with p value < 0.05. There was statistically significant difference in grade of Intraoperative Bleeding in both groups with mean grade of intraoperative bleeding being 1.4 ± 1.04 in group B and 3.5 ± 0.9 in Group A. The surgical field was poor to average in 33 cases (n = 70) in group A as compared to only 1 case (n = 70) in group B; the difference being statistically significant. The average post-operative pain score was 2.69 ± 0.99 and 1.17 ± 1.1 after post-operatively 24 h and 72 h respectively in group B; 7.14 ± 0.99 and 4.08 ± 1.42 respectively in group A. The p value for the same was < 0.05. However there was no statistically significant difference between two groups in terms of any complications or completeness of removal. Though both the techniques are highly efficacious in adenoid removal and low complication rate in our study but still more studies with large sample size are encouraged to validate these results and establish the comparative efficacy of both the techniques in terms of the intraoperative parameters as well as post-operative recovery along with recurrence rates.

Defining the Surgical Limits of Adenoidectomy so as to Prevent Recurrence of Adenoids

This study aims to define the surgical boundaries of adenoidectomy by demonstrating that recurrence of adenoids and its symptoms can be avoided if a complete adenoidectomy is performed, by following these surgical limits. A prospective descriptive study was carried out at Speciality ENT Hospital, Mumbai, India. Endoscopic adenoidectomy was performed in 83 patients using coblation technology. In all patients, adenoids were removed superiorly till the periosteum over the body of sphenoid; posteriorly till the pharyngobasilar fascia; laterally till fossa of Rosenmuller in the posterior part and till the torus tubarius in the anterior part; and inferiorly till the Passavant's ridge. The patients were followed up postoperatively and a nasal endoscopy was done at the end of 1 year to look for any recurrence or regrowth of adenoids, so as to determine the efficacy of the procedure. A total of 83 patients underwent adenoidectomy with a mean age of 12.80 years. 12 patients were lost to follow up. Of the remaining 71 patients, no patient showed any evidence of recurrence of adenoid on follow-up nasal endoscopy done at the end of 1 year. Recurrence of adenoid post adenoidectomy is not seen if there is complete removal of adenoids. So it is essential that all adenoid tissue be removed during adenoidectomy. The complete removal of adenoids can be ensured by following the surgical limits of adenoidectomy.

Comparative Study for Efficacy and Safety of Adenoidectomy according to the Surgical Method: A Prospective Multicenter Study

Background/Objective

There have been several operative techniques for adenoidectomy and their efficacy and morbidity are different according to the technique. This prospective multicenter study was aimed to compare the efficacy and morbidity of coblation adenoidectomy (CA) with those of power-assisted adenoidectomy.

Study Design

Prospective multi-institutional study.

Methods

Children who underwent CA, power-assisted adenoidectomy with cauterization (PAA+C) or without cauterization (PAA-C) due to adenoid hypertrophy were enrolled from 13 hospitals between July 2013 and June 2014. Mean operation time, degree of intraoperative bleeding and postoperative bleeding rate were evaluated.

Results

A total of 388 children (mean age ± standard deviation = 6.6 ± 2.5 years; 245 males and 143 females) were included. According to the adenoidectomy technique, the children were classified into 3 groups: (1) CA (n = 116); (2) PAA+C (n = 153); and (3) PAA-C (n = 119). Significant differences were not found in age and sex among three groups. In the CA group, mean operation time was significantly shorter (P < 0.001) and degree of intraoperative bleeding was significantly less (P < 0.001) compared to PAA+C or PAA-C group. Delayed postoperative bleeding rate of PAA-C group was significantly higher than that of CA or PAA+C group (P = 0.016).

Conclusions

This prospective multicenter study showed that CA was superior to PAA in terms of mean operation time and degree of intraoperative bleeding.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Promotes Axon Regeneration, Wound Healing, and Pain Reduction: Fact or Fiction

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been tested in vitro, in animal models, and clinically for its efficacy in enhancing the rate of wound healing, reducing pain associated with injuries, and promoting axon regeneration. Although extensive data indicate that PRP-released factors induce these effects, the claims are often weakened because many studies were not rigorous or controlled, the data were limited, and other studies yielded contrary results. Critical to assessing whether PRP is effective are the large number of variables in these studies, including the method of PRP preparation, which influences the composition of PRP; type of application; type of wounds; target tissues; and diverse animal models and clinical studies. All these variables raise the question of whether one can anticipate consistent influences and raise the possibility that most of the results are correct under the circumstances where PRP was tested. This review examines evidence on the potential influences of PRP and whether PRP-released factors could induce the reported influences and concludes that the preponderance of evidence suggests that PRP has the capacity to induce all the claimed influences, although this position cannot be definitively argued. Well-defined and rigorously controlled studies of the potential influences of PRP are required in which PRP is isolated and applied using consistent techniques, protocols, and models. Finally, it is concluded that, because of the purported benefits of PRP administration and the lack of adverse events, further animal and clinical studies should be performed to explore the potential influences of PRP.

Platelet-rich plasma and the elimination of neuropathic pain

Peripheral neuropathic pain typically results from trauma-induced nociceptive neuron hyperexcitability and their spontaneous ectopic activity. This pain persists until the trauma-induced cascade of events runs its full course, which results in complete tissue repair, including the nociceptive neurons recovering their normal biophysical properties, ceasing to be hyperexcitable, and stopping having spontaneous electrical activity. However, if a wound undergoes no, insufficient, or too much inflammation, or if a wound becomes stuck in an inflammatory state, chronic neuropathic pain persists. Although various drugs and techniques provide temporary relief from chronic neuropathic pain, many have serious side effects, are not effective, none promotes the completion of the wound healing process, and none provides permanent pain relief. This paper examines the hypothesis that chronic neuropathic pain can be permanently eliminated by applying platelet-rich plasma to the site at which the pain originates, thereby triggering the complete cascade of events involved in normal wound repair. Many published papers claim that the clinical application of platelet-rich plasma to painful sites, such as muscle injuries and joints, or to the ends of nerves evoking chronic neuropathic pain, a process often referred to as prolotherapy, eliminates pain initiated at such sites. However, there is no published explanation of a possible mechanism/s by which platelet-rich plasma may accomplish this effect. This paper discusses the normal physiological cascade of trauma-induced events that lead to chronic neuropathic pain and its eventual elimination, techniques being studied to reduce or eliminate neuropathic pain, and how the application of platelet-rich plasma may lead to the permanent elimination of neuropathic pain. It concludes that platelet-rich plasma eliminates neuropathic pain primarily by platelet- and stem cell-released factors initiating the complex cascade of wound healing events, starting with the induction of enhanced inflammation and its complete resolution, followed by all the subsequent steps of tissue remodeling, wound repair and axon regeneration that result in the elimination of neuropathic pain, and also by some of these same factors acting directly on neurons to promote axon regeneration thereby eliminating neuropathic pain.

Comparison of Postoperative Pain in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Coblation Tonsillectomy versus Cautery Tonsillectomy

Objective. To compare postoperative pain scores between monopolar electrocautery and coblation subcapsular tonsillectomy.

Study Design. Prospective double-blind randomized study.

Setting. Tertiary care children’s hospital.

Subjects and 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.

The Prevalence of Self-Reported Halitosis and Oral Hygiene Practices among Libyan Students and Office Workers

AIMS

The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of self-reported halitosis, oral hygiene practices and related diseases among Libyan students and employees.

METHODS

Six hundred self-administered structured questionnaires were used to investigate self-perception of halitosis and oral hygiene practices among a group of Libyan volunteers. Chi square test was used to detect significant differences between frequencies and to test correlation between self-perception of halitosis and measures of oral hygiene.

RESULTS

Forty three percent of the subjects were males and 57% were females. Forty four percent of the males and 54% of the females revealed self-perception malodour. Malodour was reported with the highest frequency (68%) during wake up time. Malodour was perceived by 31.7% of the females and 23.4% of the males during the hand-on-mouth test (p=0.04). Significantly more females (89.9%) than males (75.7%) practiced brushing (p<0.001). Fifty one percent of the males and 49.6% of females had dental caries. Smoking was significantly (p<0.001) more prevalent among males (17%) than among females (1%). Brushing was practiced by 85% of non-smokers and 68% of smokers (p=0.004). About 71% of the subjects who practiced brushing reported malodour during wake up time in comparison to subjects who did not practice brushing (p=0.041).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of self-perceived malodour among the Libyan volunteers in this study is within the range of other studies. There is a great demand to reduce the incidence of dental caries and periodontal diseases.