Coblation® Tonsillectomy November 18, 2003 National Studies Demonstrate Better Patient Outcomes for Coblation® Tonsillectomy Procedure Used At CVMC

Two new studies presented at American Academy of Otolaryngology meeting demonstrate the benefits of low-temperature Coblation®, a technology for tonsillectomy procedures developed by ArthroCare and used at Catawba Valley Medical Center. When used in tonsillectomy, Coblation was shown to improve postoperative outcomes, including reduced postoperative pain, quicker return to normal diet, reduced risk of secondary hemorrhage, less localized swelling, and reduced use of postoperative narcotics when compared to traditional electrocautery procedures. “Coblation assisted tonsillectomy provides patients with a gentler alternative to conventional surgical techniques that use scalpels, scissors and ‘cautery’ or burning devices to remove tonsils,” said Dr. Robert C. Williams of Graystone Ear, Nose & Throat. “This process minimizes damage to surrounding healthy tissue, resulting in less pain and faster recoveries for patients.” Key study findings include the following. There was a 74% reduction in the incidence of secondary hemorrhage (i.e. postoperative rebleeding) in pediatric patients having a Coblation-assisted tonsillectomy, and a 54% reduction of secondary hemorrhage in adult Coblation patients when compared to pediatric and adult patients who underwent tonsillectomy procedures using electrocautery. In addition, pediatric patients reported pain levels five days after surgery at 2.2 (on a scale of one to 10) for Coblation patients and 8.7 for electrocautery patients, a 74% pain reduction for pediatric Coblation patients. Pain levels reported by adult patients five days after surgery were 3.7 for Coblation patients and 7.7 for electrocautery patients, a 51% pain reduction for adult Coblation patients. Coblation patients also reported a return to normal eating five days sooner than patients who underwent an electrocautery tonsillectomy. Catawba Valley Medical Center is a not-for-profit healthcare system providing and promoting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness services, preventative medicine and acute care. The medical center was recently designated as the 32nd Magnet hospital in the nation and only the second facility in the Carolinas.