Objektive: To compare two techniques for pediatric tonsil surgery with respect to postoperative pain and the long-term effects (one year) on snoring.

Methods: 92 children with a history of snoring and few to several tonsillitis, were randomized to either regular tonsillectomy (T)(n=43) or intracapsular tonsillectomy (TT) with RF surgical technique, where only the obstructive parts of the tonsils were removed.

Results: In the TT group, the children recorded less pain from the second hour after surgery onwards, and were back in school and pain-free 3 days earlier than the children in the T group. The TT children used fewer doses of painkillers and did not lose weight postoperatively compared to the T-children, who lost a mean of 660g in 10 days. Effect on snoring was the same in both groups. One year after surgery, some children in both groups still had slight snoring, but no apneás. Both groups were satisfied and in good health. The T-children remembered their pain more than TT-children. A surgical technique, which results in less suffering and a shorter time the child and a parent have to stay at home postoperatively, is a health- and socioeconomic gain. Is it defendable to continue performing traditional tonsillectomy?

Intracapsular tonsillectomy with RF-surgery is a safe method, which causes less pain and morbidity than regular tonsillectomy and has the same effect on snoring.