Past and Present Instrument Use in Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy

OBJECTIVE: Examine changing trends/instrument usage for pediatric adenotonsillectomy. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Survey of 300 members of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology assessing instruments used in adenotonsillectomy currently and over the past 15 years. RESULTS: A total of 120 surveys were returned. The most common total tonsillectomy instruments for obstruction/infection were: monopolar electrocautery (ME) (53.1%/54.5%) and coblation (CT) (16.0%/16.1%). The most common subtotal tonsillectomy instrument for obstruction/infection was microdebrider (51.4%/30.8%). Over the past 15 years, ME predominated, cold utilization declined, and CT rose. The most common adenoidectomy instruments were ME (25.0%/25.0%), curette with touch-up ME (22.4%/22.4%), and microdebrider with touch-up ME (19.0%/14.7%). Over the past 15 years, curette with touch-up ME predominated early, curette utilization alone declined, and ME, microdebrider, and CT have risen. CONCLUSION: Pediatric otolaryngologist technique/instrument use for adenotonsillectomy has changed over the past 15 years. This study may be limited by the low survey response rate.