Trial reportEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery2012
1-year follow-up after radiofrequency tonsillotomy and laser tonsillotomy in children: a prospective, double-blind, clinical study.
Trial report in European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- The efficacy of carbon dioxide laser applications in tonsillectomy: systematic review.Lasers in medical science · 2025Pooled it
- Postoperative Bleeding and Associated Utilization following Tonsillectomy in Children.Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery · 2017Pooled it
- Clinical practice guideline: tonsillitis II. Surgical management.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2016Guideline
- [An update on tonsillotomy studies].HNO · 2017Review
- Tonsillotomy: facts and fiction.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2015Review
- Radiofrequency ablation in snoring surgery: local tissue effects and safety measures.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2014Article
- Tonsillitis and sore throat in children.GMS current topics in otorhinolaryngology, head and neck surgery · 2014Review
- Influence of radiofrequency surgery on architecture of the palatine tonsils.BioMed research international · 2014Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
In the last decade, tonsillotomy has come into vogue again, whereas the number of tonsillectomies is decreasing rapidly. In a previous study, the tonsillotomy with laser or radiofrequency therapy proved as a safe and effective procedure with minimal pain and hemorrhage. This follow-up study determines which method is more effective with respect to long-term outcome, recurrence of tonsillar hyperplasia and recurrence of tonsillitis. A prospective, randomised, double-blinded controlled clinical study was conducted at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. Twenty-six children with tonsillar hypertrophy were included. Tonsillotomy was performed on one side with monopolar radiofrequency and on the other side with a carbon dioxide laser. Exactly 1 year after the procedure, all 26 patients were documented by digital photography to define a possible recurrence of tonsillar hyperplasia. All parents were asked for occurring tonsillitis and fulfilled the Glasgow Children's Benefit Inventory (GCBI) for health-related quality of life after surgical procedures. In seven children, a slightly visible recurrence of the tonsillar hyperplasia occurred, without any symptoms or correlation to the different methods and sides. One child with recurrent tonsillitis and hyperplasia had to be tonsillectomized 8 months after the initial tonsillotomy procedure. The specimen showed open crypts with bacterial infection in the deep. The GCBI resulted in highly significant benefits of the surgery in all categories and subcategories. In conclusion, both methods, the laser tonsillotomy and the radiofrequency method, were equal concerning the effectiveness and safety after 1 year. Further investigations have to aim at the long-term outcome after tonsillotomy in patients with recurrent infections.
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Registered trials
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