Postoperative hemorrhage following coblation tonsillectomy with and without suture: A randomized study in Chinese adults

Coblation tonsillectomy (TE) increases gradually in China. Hemorrhage is the main complication after tonsillectomy. The conclusions of the studies about suture after tonsillectomy are conflicting. To compare the post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage (PTH) rates in patients who underwent coblation with vs. without suture. This was a randomized controlled study of adult patients who underwent coblation TE at our hospital between 01/2017 and 08/2019. The patients were randomized to TE with or without suture. The primary endpoint was the secondary PTH. The secondary endpoints included the primary PTH, grade of PTH, and incidence of PTH within 4 weeks post-TE. There were no differences between the two groups regarding sex, age, disease course, and BMI (all P > 0.05). The occurrence of secondary PTH was lower in the suture group compared with the non-suture group (2.8% vs. 7.7%, P = 0.016). Compared with non-suture group, the incidence of PTH within 4 weeks (2.8% vs. 10.6%, P = 0.009) and the PTH degree (P = 0.02) were all significantly lower in the suture group. Intraoperative suture reduces the secondary PTH in adult patients who underwent coblation tonsillectomy. The incidence of PTH within 4 weeks, PTH degree and pain might all improved for intraoperative suture.