TONSILLAR FOSSA OBLITERATION AND POSTOPERATIVE PAIN

Fifty consecutive patients over the age of 15 years undergoing tonsill ectomy had one tonsillar fossa obliterated by 2/0 Polydioxanone (PDS I I) suture. The opposite side was used as a control. Pain was assessed on a visual analogue scale from the first to tenth post-operative day. Although on the initial postoperative days the pain was more on the s utured side, 41 patients subsequently experienced significant pain rel ief on that side (P = 0.0001). No complications were encountered due t o the tonsillar fossa obliteration. On the 10 day review, the 41 patie nts indicated in their questionnaire that tonsillar fossa obliteration is a useful procedure to reduce the post-operative pain and would hav e preferred both sides to be obliterated rather than left to heal by s econdary intention.