limit role of antibiotics in the management of chronic sore throat in adults

The aim of this study is to find the cause of chronic sore throat [CST] and to demonstrate the percentage of patients who may benefit from treatment with antibiotics by clinical, laboratory and radiological evaluation. Design: A prospective study [March-June 1996]. Setting: Queen Alia Military Hospital [QAMH] in Amman, Jordan. Among the 94 patients, only 25 patients [26.6%] showed chronic infection; 18 [19.1%] had chronic sinusitis and 7 [7.5%] had chronic tonsillitis; those 25 patients may benefit from antibiotics. The remaining 69 [73.4%] did not have any evidence of infection, therefore antibiotics use in such patients cannot be justified. The main cause of CST in 87 [92.5%] patients is mechanical in nature with continuous irritation of pharyngeal mucosa

Comparison of electrodissection and dissection / snare tonsillectomy in children

Comparison of a new surgical tonsillectomy technique, electrodissection, using bipolar diathermy with the traditional dissection/snare technique. A randomized prospective study on one hundred patients who underwent tonsillectomy between 1st January - 31st October at Queen Alia Military Hospital [QAMH] was carried out. The enrolled patients were alternatively randomized to either bipolar electrodissection [Group I] or dissection / snare technique [Group II]. The operative time was shorter in group I compared to group II, 11 min. vs. 21.5 min. [p<0.0001], and the intraoperative blood loss was 5cc vs. 36cc respectively [p<0.0001]: The time to the first intake of solid food, but not liquids, was significantly shorter in group I compared to group 1I, 9.5 vs. 16.5 hours [p<0.0001]. Bipolar electrodissection is an effective and safe surgical technique compared to the traditional methods and is highly recommended in the pediatric age group