KATE NEWTON
Getting your tonsils out has always had two good points - ice cream and bedrest. But a new technique, performed in Hawke's Bay yesterday in a national first, may mean tonsillectomy patients no longer have any excuse to lie about eating the cold stuff and putting their feet up.
Coblation therapy was demonstrated at Hawke's Bay Hospital and simulcast to a gathering of curious ear, nose and throat surgeons in the hospital's education centre.
Five-year-old Hastings boy Corbyn Jacobs-Middleton's adenoids and tonsils were vaporised for all to see on the big screen while the surgeons took turns questioning English surgeon Michael Timms.
Two hours later, Corbyn was drinking, talking and not complaining of any pain, despite taking no pain relief.
"When are they going to take my tonsils out?" he asked. Dr Timms showed how fast the technique was in his next operation on a nine-year-old.
"I hate going for time - but did anybody time that?" he asked his viewers.
Older techniques to remove tonsils involve cutting or burning, but coblation surgery uses radio frequency energy and saline solution.
Coblation surgery is a much gentler way of removing the tonsils and adenoids. Using a suction wand, the tonsils are vaporised and the patient has less pain and bleeding and also recovers faster.
Hawke's Bay clinical director of surgery and otorhinolaryngologist David Grayson, along with fellow otorhinolaryngologist Paul Mason, were the first in New Zealand to trial the technique.
Fifteen coblation surgeries had been performed in Hawke's Bay so far and Dr Grayson said all patients had shown a quicker recovery than would be expected with the traditional method.
"We're enthusiastic about this technology, which can definitely lead to improved outcomes for our patients," Dr Grayson said.
The operation does come at a cost though - the disposable wands cost about $200 each.
About 300 tonsillectomies are performed in Hawke's Bay each year.
The surgery demonstration ended the New Zealand Society of Otorhinolaryngology's national conference, which has been held in Napier during this past week.
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