The Efficacy of Palatine Tonsillectomy Under Local Anesthesia: Comparative Analysis with Tonsillectomy Under General Anesthesia

Chang, Chin Soon; Jun, Byung Hoon; Park, See Young; Jung, Bum Jo

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures in otolaryngologic field and it can be carried out under general anesthesia or local anesthesia. The author compared tonsillectomy under local anesthesia to general anesthesia with respect to operation, anesthesia and recovery time as well as satisfaction of the patients.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
Fifty patients who underwent tonsillectomy were divided into a local anesthesia group (25 patients) and a general anesthesia group (25 patients). Parameters such as time spent for anesthesia, operation, recovery time, episodes of cautery, initiation of normal daily life including normal diet, pain, and complication were compared between the two groups. Paired student t-tests were used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS
Among other parameters, local tonsillectomy was superior in terms of saving time during anesthesia, operation, recovery as well as hospital course compared to tonsillectomy under general anesthesia. However, ease on the initiation of normal daily life including normal diet, pain, and complication did not differ between the two groups.
CONCLUSION
The author feels that local tonsillectomy should be advocated not only for time saving during operation, anesthesia and recovery but also for the satisfaction or compliance of the patients. In these respects, it is suggested that more active training should be provided to surgeons during their residency on tonsillectomy under local anesthesia.