Dr. Bill Graham, ENT at Avera Queen of Peace.
If you are in the market for a tonsillectomy and live in the Mitchell area, Avera Queen of Peace now offers a better option for that type of surgery. It's called the Coblator and Nancy Naeve Brown asked Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist Dr. Bill Graham to explain the equipment.
ENT Dr. Bill Graham with Avera Queen of Peace says, "This is the equipment. It's called the Coblator and it's a relatively new peace of equipment. Over the last 5 or 6 years it's been gaining popularity. It differs from the more traditional methods in that it is radio frequency generation that creates a plasma field that actually removes tissue without same amount of heat you'd typically have with more traditional methods of cauterizing. By causing less heat, it causes less damage to surrounding tissue which is shown to cause less pain and faster recovery, less narcotic use afterwards, a quick return to eating, drinking and normal lifestyle.
This is the active electrode. That is where radio frequency is generated saline is irrigated down on the outer sheath and runs over the tip of it as you are doing the procedure which helps keep it cool. But it is the saline that creates the plasma field that actually helps to dissolve the binds between the cells and allows tissue to be removed without really directly burning tissue.
The biggest difference is the recovery and pain. As far as a bleeding risk it's about the same."
For more information call 877-AT-AVERA
