A retrospective comparative study of postoperative bleeding after coblation tonsillectomy versus noncoblation tonsillectomy in North Indian population

Background: This study was done to look at the difference in incidence of postoperative bleeding after tonsillectomy using coblation or noncoblation. Methods: A review of all the cases of tonsillectomy done at NIMS Medical college from January 2019 to September 2022 was done to ascertain type of tonsillectomy performed and the presence of postoperative bleeding. Statistical analysis was done by chi-square test to determine a statistical difference between the postoperative bleeding rate of coblation and noncoblation method. The Cochraine-Armitage test of linear trend was done to measure change in the postoperative bleeds. The tested term was divided into two-month durations, and the coblation postoperative bleeds were checked for every 2-month period. Results: 238 tonsillectomies were performed. The postoperative bleed rate for noncoblation tonsillectomy was 3.4% (8/238) and 5/238 (2.1%) in coblation tonsillectomy. No statistical difference (p=0.93) was found between bleed rates for coblation versus noncoblation techniques. There was no difference seen in the need for operative intervention to control postoperative bleeding: 8 (5.4% of only non coblated patients and 3.4% of all tonsillectomy patients) for noncoblation procedure and 5 (5.6% of only coblated patients and 2.1% of all tonsillectomy patients) for coblation procedures (p=0.25). Postoperative bleed rates in coblation patients for the 2-month periods did not reveal an increasing or decreasing trend in the bleed rate (p=0.49). Conclusions: Coblation tonsillectomy is a safe method for performing tonsillar surgery with no significant difference in postoperative bleeding from previous techniques and no increased need for operative intervention to control postoperative bleeding.