Effect of Fibrin Glue on Post-Tonsillectomy Pain

Park, Do Hwe; Han, Jung Ho; Jang, Jin Yong; Lee, See Young

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Post-tonsillectomy pain is unavoidable and related to the dysphagia, dehydration and loss of time in returning to normal activities. This study was performed to investigate whether fibrin glue (Tissucol(R) Duo Quick, Baxter AG, Wien, Austria) applied to tonsillar bed after the completion of tonsillectomy reduced pain.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
Twenty-five adults scheduled for an elective tonsillectomy were included in this prospective double-blind study. After removal of both tonsils electrocauterization was done on both tonsillar bed for adequate hemostasis. And then, one side of tonsillar bed randomly selected by operating surgeon was coated with the fibrin glue and the other side was left without coating. Pain scores were measured at the first (postoperative day, POD1), third (POD3) and tenth (POD10) day of the operation by using visual analogue scale (VAS).
RESULTS
The VAS scores of the side treated with fibrin glue and the non-coated side were 3.67+/-1.16/3.14+/-0.96/1.52+/-0.81 (POD1/POD3/POD10) and 5.33+/-1.28/4.19+/-1.21/1.71+/- 0.96 (POD1/POD3/POD10), respectively. The VAS score difference between both sides were 1.67+/-0.58/1.05+/-0.59/0.19+/-0.40 (POD1/PO3/POD10).
CONCLUSION
This study shows that the application of fibrin glue on tonsillectomy site was effective for postoperative pain control. Moreover, the efficacy was prominent at early postoperative days known as period of severe pain.