Trends and Practices in Tonsil Surgery—A National Survey for Otorhinolaryngologists

ABSTRACT Objectives To study the changes in tonsil surgery practice over a 10‐year period and to survey opinions about its current use and future practice among Finnish otorhinolaryngologists. Methods An online survey was distributed between January and March of 2021 to otorhinolaryngologists in Fin...

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Main Authors: Tapani Uusitalo, Anniina Sakki, Aleksi Laajala, Jussi Jero, Johanna Nokso‐Koivisto, Jaakko Piitulainen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-06-01
Series:Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/lio2.70178
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author Tapani Uusitalo
Anniina Sakki
Aleksi Laajala
Jussi Jero
Johanna Nokso‐Koivisto
Jaakko Piitulainen
author_facet Tapani Uusitalo
Anniina Sakki
Aleksi Laajala
Jussi Jero
Johanna Nokso‐Koivisto
Jaakko Piitulainen
author_sort Tapani Uusitalo
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Objectives To study the changes in tonsil surgery practice over a 10‐year period and to survey opinions about its current use and future practice among Finnish otorhinolaryngologists. Methods An online survey was distributed between January and March of 2021 to otorhinolaryngologists in Finland. Results Altogether, 203 surveys were available for the analysis. Partial tonsil surgery has become the main surgical method, based on 75% of responders, for tonsillar hypertrophy in children over a 10‐year period. A similar change did not exist in adults and for infectious indications, but the attitudes support change. The most common surgical technique was monopolar electrocautery and cold‐steel dissection for extracapsular tonsillectomy and monopolar electrocautery and coblation for tonsillotomy. In choosing the method for tonsil surgery, the most important factors were the efficiency of symptom relief, familiarity, and avoidance of complications. In surgical practice, influencing a surgeon's choice the most was their residency experience, colleagues, and personal experience. A rather high percentage of opioid prescription (23%) after partial tonsil surgery was noted. Conclusion Here, in children, we report a paradigm shift toward partial tonsil surgery occurring within 10 years in the treatment of tonsillar hypertrophy. We also show that opinions support that this change may be used for adults and for infectious indications. A wide variety in tonsil surgery instruments ranging from newer techniques (e.g., coblation) to cold steel existed. Local practice strongly influenced the surgeon's choice. Level of Evidence N/A.
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spelling doaj-art-53f7435dbcf947519b083c7a298a4d912025-08-20T03:30:04ZengWileyLaryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology2378-80382025-06-01103n/an/a10.1002/lio2.70178Trends and Practices in Tonsil Surgery—A National Survey for OtorhinolaryngologistsTapani Uusitalo0Anniina Sakki1Aleksi Laajala2Jussi Jero3Johanna Nokso‐Koivisto4Jaakko Piitulainen5Department of Otorhinolaryngology Turku University Hospital and University of Turku Turku FinlandDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki Helsinki FinlandOtorhinolaryngology Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu Oulu FinlandUniversity of Helsinki Helsinki FinlandDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki Helsinki FinlandDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Turku University Hospital and University of Turku Turku FinlandABSTRACT Objectives To study the changes in tonsil surgery practice over a 10‐year period and to survey opinions about its current use and future practice among Finnish otorhinolaryngologists. Methods An online survey was distributed between January and March of 2021 to otorhinolaryngologists in Finland. Results Altogether, 203 surveys were available for the analysis. Partial tonsil surgery has become the main surgical method, based on 75% of responders, for tonsillar hypertrophy in children over a 10‐year period. A similar change did not exist in adults and for infectious indications, but the attitudes support change. The most common surgical technique was monopolar electrocautery and cold‐steel dissection for extracapsular tonsillectomy and monopolar electrocautery and coblation for tonsillotomy. In choosing the method for tonsil surgery, the most important factors were the efficiency of symptom relief, familiarity, and avoidance of complications. In surgical practice, influencing a surgeon's choice the most was their residency experience, colleagues, and personal experience. A rather high percentage of opioid prescription (23%) after partial tonsil surgery was noted. Conclusion Here, in children, we report a paradigm shift toward partial tonsil surgery occurring within 10 years in the treatment of tonsillar hypertrophy. We also show that opinions support that this change may be used for adults and for infectious indications. A wide variety in tonsil surgery instruments ranging from newer techniques (e.g., coblation) to cold steel existed. Local practice strongly influenced the surgeon's choice. Level of Evidence N/A.https://doi.org/10.1002/lio2.70178extracapsular tonsillectomyinstrumentationintracapsular tonsillectomypartial tonsil surgerytonsillotomy
spellingShingle Tapani Uusitalo
Anniina Sakki
Aleksi Laajala
Jussi Jero
Johanna Nokso‐Koivisto
Jaakko Piitulainen
Trends and Practices in Tonsil Surgery—A National Survey for Otorhinolaryngologists
Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
extracapsular tonsillectomy
instrumentation
intracapsular tonsillectomy
partial tonsil surgery
tonsillotomy
title Trends and Practices in Tonsil Surgery—A National Survey for Otorhinolaryngologists
title_full Trends and Practices in Tonsil Surgery—A National Survey for Otorhinolaryngologists
title_fullStr Trends and Practices in Tonsil Surgery—A National Survey for Otorhinolaryngologists
title_full_unstemmed Trends and Practices in Tonsil Surgery—A National Survey for Otorhinolaryngologists
title_short Trends and Practices in Tonsil Surgery—A National Survey for Otorhinolaryngologists
title_sort trends and practices in tonsil surgery a national survey for otorhinolaryngologists
topic extracapsular tonsillectomy
instrumentation
intracapsular tonsillectomy
partial tonsil surgery
tonsillotomy
url https://doi.org/10.1002/lio2.70178
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