Sarah Maurrasse MD, Vikash Modi MD
Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology
Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in children. The main indication for partial tonsillectomy is sleep disordered breathing, which includes a spectrum of disorders from primary snoring to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This video includes 1) figures of the anatomy relevant to partial tonsillectomy 2) a discussion of the indications for partial tonsillectomy and 3) surgical videos and diagrams that explain the steps of the surgical procedure.
A Crowe-Davis or McIvor mouth gag is gently placed into the patient's mouth with the endotracheal tube fixed between the tongue and the blade. The endotracheal tube should fit securely into the groove in the blade. The soft palate is then retracted with catheters to stabilize the tonsil and to pull the uvula out of the way.
If tonsillectomy begins on the left, the microdebrider should be held in the right hand. A Hurd elevator is used to retract the anterior pillar laterally and the microdebrider is slowly moved from the inferior to the superior pole and from lateral to medial. The Hurd is also used to protect the posterior pillar, and additional lymphoid tissue can be debrided. When the majority of lymphoid tissue has been removed, the Hurd should be used to expose the superior pole. This area tends to be endophytic and if too much tissue is left behind, regrowth can occur.
Throughout the procedure, care is taken to leave a thin rim of lymphoid tissue on the tonsillar capsule. After resection is complete, pressure is held on the tonsillar fossa with an Afrin-soaked pack. Suction cautery is then used to control the bleeding from the tonsillar bed. To achieve hemostasis with suction electrocautery, the area of bleeding is initially suctioned and the tip of the suction electrocautery is positioned for several seconds on the bleeding site. The oral cavity is then irrigated and suctioned. Of note, after tonsillectomy the anterior and posterior muscular pillars should remain completely intact.
The main indication for partial tonsillectomy is sleep disordered breathing, which includes a spectrum of disorders from primary snoring to obstructive sleep apnea. In general, partial tonsillectomy is not recommended for recurrent infections, since tonsil tissue is left behind during this procedure and can continue to be a nidus for infection.
Relative contraindications include:
1) Recurrent infections (total tonsillectomy recommended in these cases as mentioned above)
2) Acute infection
3) Submucous cleft (increases risk of velopharyngeal insufficiency post-operatively)
4) Bleeding diathesis
5) Co-morbidities that increase anesthetic risk
Instrumentation:
1) Crowe-Davis mouth gag
2) Suspension with Mayo stand
3) Suction catheter (or red rubber) to retract the soft palate
4) Hurd elevator
5) Microdebrider
6) Afrin-soaked tonsil packs
7) Suction Bovie electrocautery
Preoperative workup should include a detailed history and physical exam. The history of present illness should address the presence of the following symptoms: snoring, witnessed apneas, daytime somnolence or hyperactivity, nocturnal enuresis. difficulty concentration, recurrent throat infections, throat pain, history of missed school days, and antibiotic usage. The physical exam should include a careful oral cavity exam to assess for tonsillar hypertrophy and/or signs of infection. Nasal endoscopy should also be considered if there is concern for coexisting adenoid hypertrophy.
Advantages of partial tonsillectomy compared to total tonsillectomy include less post-operative pain (and subsequent dehydration and readmission) and a much lower risk of post-operative bleeding. The disadvantages of partial tonsillectomy compared to total tonsillectomy are related to leaving a small rim of lymphoid tissue and include 1) risk for regrowth and need for further surgery and 2) an increased risk of post-operative infection.
Complications and risks associated with partial tonsillectomy are very minimal. There is almost no risk of post-operative bleeding (as compared to a 1-2% risk with total tonsillectomy). In addition, pain is minimal with partial tonsillectomy and can usually be managed with acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen instead of narcotic medications, which are usually required for total tonsillectomy.
No conflicts of interest to disclose
Thank you to Vidal Maurrasse for providing voice over material.
This video shows a transotic approach for a cochlear schwannoma in a 59-year-old female who presented with sudden sensorineural hearing loss in her left three years prior. She was found to have subsequent growth of her tumor on imaging and elected to undergo surgery. The transotic approach is a valuable approach within the armamentarium of a skull base team and differs from the transcochlear approach in the handling of the facial nerve. Techniques for ear canal overclosure, eustachian tube packing and mastoid obliteration are also highlighted.
Here, we have a 39 yrs old female with complaints of noisy breathing for last two years post thyroidectomy. Flexible laryngoscopy confirmed bilateral vocal cord paralysis. She was planned for coblation assisted cordectomy.
Patient was taken up for procedure under general anaesthesia. She also started having stridor after induction. Nasopharyngeal intubation with spontaneous breathing technique was used. Entropy leads were placed over forehead to monitor the depth of anaesthesia. Tube position was confirmed with endoscopic view and Benjamin lindohlm laryngoscope was suspended. As the patient was spontaneously breathing, the stridor became more prominent, with stable vitals and the procedure was continued. The vocal cord retractor was fixed and coblation wand was then used with 7:3 settings for ablation and coagulation respectively. The surgical limits were-anteriorly the junction between ant 2/3 and post 1/3 of the vocal cord, posteriorly just anterior to the vocal process of arytenoid to prevent cartilage exposure and post operative granulations. Superely till the ventricle and inferioly till the medial most surface of the subglottis. Laterally approx. 5 mm depth was defined to prevent injury to the superior laryngeal artery branch and further bleeding. Once the final airway was achieved , the topical lignocaine was used to prevent laryngeal spasm post extubation.
The patient was shifted to the ward without oxygen, the voice was assessed on post op day 2.
Patient was called for follow up on post op day 14th and good voice outcomes were achieved.
So lets have a look on some tips & tricks for the safe procedure—–
Nasopharyngeal insufflation technique with entropy monitor will give adequate and safe surgical field
2. Appropriate exposure will help you to delineate the surgical margins
3. Topical anaesthesia before and after the procedure will prevent sudden laryngeal spasm
4. Firm holding of coblation device will help to prevent injury to surrounding structures like anterior 2/3 vocal cord, opposite side vocal cord, medial surface of vocal cord or aryteroid posteriorly
5. Do not ablate more laterally to prevent bleeding, if at all it happens, use patties or coagulation switch for hemostasis.
6. And at the end of the procedure ,use catheter suction to suck out blood clots or saline from the airway if any….
To Conclude-Coblation Assisted Cordectomy( CAC) can be performed safely with good outcomes in case of bilateral vocal cord paralysis using tubeless anesthesia technique without tracheostomy !
We present the harvest of a osteocutaneous fibula free flap for head and neck reconstruction performed at the University of Cincinnati. This reconstructive technique has a wide variety of implications but has found greatest utility in the reconstruction of mandibular defects.
Review Partial Tonsillectomy.