Local versus general anaesthesia in tonsillectomy.

Thirty-eight patients, suitable for tonsillectomy under local anaesthesia, were randomized and operated on under either local or general anaesthesia. The following parameters were compared: time in the operating room, duration of the operation, peroperative haemorrhage, number of ligatures required for haemostasis, postoperative haemorrhage, infection and weight loss. Post-operative discomfort was assessed using a visual analogue scale and a water drinking test. The total consumption of analgesic drugs in the post-operative period was recorded. The investigation shows that tonsillectomy under local anaesthesia, in suitable patients, is a safe alternative to tonsillectomy under general anaesthesia, and that considerable resources can be saved if the operation is performed with local anaesthesia.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes