Forty-nine children for tonsillectomy were entered in a prospective controlled single blind study to compare the post-tonsillectomy morbidity of bipolar diathermy as opposed to ligation for haemostasis. We found no significant difference in post-operative discomfort nor reactionary or secondary haemorrhage in the two methods used. This is the first controlled trial where bipolar, rather than unipolar diathermy is used, and compared with ligation in the operation of tonsillectomy

Background: We aimed to evaluate the effect of different capnoperitoneum pressures on stress responses in pediatric laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.Methods: In this prospective randomized controlled study, 68 children with indirect inguinal hernia who underwent high ligation of hernia sac were randomly divided into 3 groups: high-pressure group (12 mm Hg, HP group, n = 26); low-pressure group (8 mm Hg, LP group, n = 20); open operation group (OP group, n = 22). Heart rate (HR), blood pressure, and end-tidal CO 2 (PetCO 2 ) were recorded, as well as the levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (COR) were measured by ELISAs before operation, during operation, and after operation, respectively.Results: After establishing capnoperitoneum, HR, blood pressure, and PetCO 2 were significantly increased in the HP group compared with the OP and LP groups (P < 0.05). Comparing the intraoperatively measured ACTH and COR concentrations of the HP group to the LP group, we noted higher values in the first (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the postoperative concentrations of ACTH and COR among the HP, LP, and OP groups. Abbreviations: ACTH = adrenocorticotropic hormone, ASA = American Society of Anesthesiologists, COR = cortisol, DBP = diastolic blood pressure, ELISA = enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay, HP = high-pressure, HR = heart rate, LP = low-pressure, OP = open operation, PetCO 2 = end-tidal CO 2 , SBP = systolic blood pressure, SD = standard deviation.