ADC
Otolaryngologist,
Richard Bryarly, MD uses thermal welding procedure during
tonsil removal resulting in less pain and shorter recovery for
patients.
For thousands of years, humans have handled health problems
associated with tonsils in much the same way: by removing them
in a painful procedure called a tonsillectomy.
Unlike the ancient Romans, who historians say were the first to
perform a tonsillectomy in the year 30 A.D., physicians today
have modern tools and can administer local anesthetic and pain
medications to help ease patients through the surgery and
healing process.
Yet the risks associated with tonsillectomies continue, says Dr.
Richard Bryarly, M.D., an ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician
at The Austin Diagnostic Clinic (ADC). These risks may include
complications from post-operative bleeding and dehydration, and
a painful recovery time that can linger for several weeks.
New technology enables more rapid recovery
Many of the potential health complications of a tonsillectomy
result from the surgical tools and techniques used to extract
the tonsils. Traditional forceps, scoops, and technology using
heat, lasers or sound waves often cause bleeding and unintended
tissue damage such as burns.
But that’s changing with a new alternative called tissue welding
that speeds recovery time and reduces damage to surrounding
tissue, says Dr. Bryarly, who was the first physician in Austin
to introduce the new alternative.
“At first I was as skeptical with this technology, as I am with
any other new technique,” adds Dr. Bryarly. “But as soon as I
started using tissue welding, I noticed a big difference.”
Dr. Bryarly says tissue welding works by using direct heat and
pressure to delicately seal and divide soft tissue while
minimizing bleeding. Because the tissue welding forceps tool can
be adjusted to precise temperatures for optimal use, Dr. Bryarly
says he can now perform tonsillectomies more accurately and
efficiently than with the other techniques.
The new technology could also dramatically shorten recovery
times for those who get tonsillectomies, one of the most common
surgical procedures for children in the United States. While
two-thirds of the 500,000 people in the U.S. who get a
tonsillectomy each year are children, a third of them are
adults. With the new technology, adults who need a tonsillectomy
won’t have to worry about taking as much time out of their busy
schedules to recover. For children it can mean a faster return
to school.
“Using the old technology, I would sometimes have patients that
needed to receive intravenous fluids for 10 days after their
tonsillectomy, because they could not yet drink normally,” says
Dr. Bryarly, who has been performing tonsillectomies for 35
years. “With tissue welding, some patients are eating solid
foods within a few days of their procedure. It’s a striking
difference.” Dr. Bryarly says patients heal faster with the new
technique and have not only a shorter but a less painful
recovery.
Tonsillectomy reasons and rationale
Today, Dr. Bryarly says the reason for doing a tonsillectomy
has changed from a “just do it” mindset in the 1950s to a more
reasoned approach today based on a variety of medical
indications such as tonsillitis, sleep apnea, and occasionally
swallowing and speech problems.
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