Tonsillar fossa obliteration and post-operative pain

Fifty consecutive patients over the age of 15 years undergoing tonsillectomy had one tonsillar fossa obliterated by 2/0 Polydioxanone (PDS II) suture. The opposite side was used as a control. Pain was assessed on a visual analogue scale from the first to tenth post-operative day. Although on the initial post-operative days the pain was more on the sutured side, 41 patients subsequently experienced significant pain relief on that side (P = 0.0001). No complications were encountered due to the tonsillar fossa obliteration. On the 10 day review, the 41 patients indicated in their questionnaire that tonsillar fossa obliteration is a useful procedure to reduce the post-operative pain and would have preferred both sides to be obliterated rather than left to heal by secondary intention.