Pain reduction by fibrin sealant in older children and adult tonsillectomy.

Objectives: Because tonsillectomy is a painful procedure in adults, this study was performed to see whether the addition of fibrin sealant (Tisseel) to the tonsillar fossa at the completion of tonsillectomy would reduce pain in adults and allow them to return to work sooner.

Study Design: Forty adult patients over the age of 12 were entered into a prospective randomized study to see whether the addition of fibrin sealant (Tisseel) to the tonsillar fossa at the completion of tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis would reduce the time the patient needed to take narcotic analgesics after surgery.

Methods: Fifteen adults had a traditional complete tonsillectomy by means of a needle point Bovie and served as a control group. Twenty-five (adults had the same procedure with the addition of Tisseel to see how long they required narcotic analgesics postoperatively and when they were able to resume normal activities.

Results: The control group took narcotics for an average of 10.3 days, whereas the addition of Tisseel reduced the time to 8.16 days (P = .0058). This significant reduction of time allowed adults to return to work and other activities sooner.

Conclusion: Because the time required to return to work is often of paramount interest to patients having surgery, Tisseel should be considered a safe addition to older children and adult tonsillectomy in patients who are not allergic to bovine products because it will allow an earlier return to normal activities.