Microdebrider-assisted intracapsular tonsillectomy in adults with chronic or recurrent tonsillitis.

Objectives/hypothesis: We compared the effectiveness and morbidity of microdebrider-assisted total intracapsular tonsillectomy (ICTE) with conventional extracapsular tonsillectomy (ECTE) in adults with chronic or recurrent tonsillitis.

Study Design: Prospective randomized surgical trial.

Methods: Adult patients with recurrent or chronic tonsillitis who underwent tonsillectomy between July 2010 and July 2012 in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, were consecutively included.

Head-position angles in children for opening the upper airway.

Aims: Inexperienced health-care-providers may encounter severe problems to ventilate an unconscious child. Designing a ventilating device that could indicate how to open an upper airway correctly may be beneficial. Neutral position in young children and slight head extension in older children is recommended, although the optimal head angle is not clear.