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Bismuth subgallate: a safe means to a faster adeno—tonsillectomy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

P. J. Wormald
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa.
S. L. Sellars*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa.
*
Professor S. L. Sellars, Department of Otolaryngology, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa.

Abstract

Tonsillectomy, with or without adenoidectomy, is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures and as such contributes significantly to the surgery performed by GPs and ENT surgeons. In this randomized controlled study we compared the use of a compound bismuth subgallate (BSG) during adeno-tonsillectomy with the standard operations.

Two hundred and two tonsillectomies were randomized into two groups. BSG was used in 90 patients while the other 112 patients were used as controls. The mean operating time was reduced from 11.5 to 9.9 minutes, the number of swabs from 4.5 to 3.7 and number of ties from 3.4 to 2.1. All these reductions were significant (p-values all <0.05). There were no post-operative complications in either group. Thus the use of BSG during adeno-tonsillectomy or tonsillectomy alone significantly decreases the operating time and results in less intraoperative haemorrhage with fewer ties and swabs being required.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1994

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