The effects of radiofrequency on the bacteriological and histological characteristics of tonsils in patients with chronic and persistent tonsillitis.

OBJECTIVES: Tonsillotomy with radiofrequency (RF) is one of the newest treatments for chronic tonsillitis, but the mechanism of RF effects and complications are still pending. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of RF on the histological and bacteriological characteristics of the tonsils (Case-control study). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In fifty-two patients with chronic tonsillitis in 2017-2018, immediately after tonsillectomy, the tonsils were divided into 2sections; one sample treated with RF, and the other one considered as control, without intervention. All tonsil samples sent for histological and bacteriological study: morphometric assays made by Digitizer software, and type of bacterial colonies identified by microbiological and biochemical tests. Willcoxon and McNemar tests were used for statistical analysis and level of significance was p ≤ .05. RESULTS: Tonsil mucosal thickness (2202.98 ± 323.09 vs. 2463.94 ± 357.61 µm) and size of the tonsil nodule (28,000.42 ± 9608.75 vs. 36,692.81 ± 7040.74 µm2) were significantly lower in the RF+ group than other group (p = .001 and p = .01, respectively). There was no significant differences in thickness of the tonsil epithelium (p = .075), number of lymphoid nodules (p = .860), and the number of reticular tonsil epithelium (p = .813) between the two groups. Bacterial growth in RF- and RF+ groups had no statistically significant difference (p = .06), however, the average colony count of S. aureus in RF+ tonsils were significantly lower, and total number of bacterial colonies were significantly lower in RF+ group(1405 ± 156 vs. 2471 ± 156), (p = .001). CONCLUSION: RF surgery has significant effects on size of the nodules, thickness of the mucous layer and bacteriological characteristics of tonsil tissue. Especially S. aureus seems to be more sensitive to RF effects.

Effects of Acupressure on Fatigue in Patients with Cancer Who Underwent Chemotherapy.

Fatigue is the commonest symptom in cancer patients; despite high levels of clinically significant persistent cancer-related fatigue, few treatments are currently available. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of acupressure on fatigue in patients with cancer who underwent chemotherapy. The study was designed as a randomized and controlled trial. Ninety samples were selected using the convenience sampling method, and random block sampling was used for allocation of groups (30 for each group). The three groups were similar by age and gender. The experimental group underwent acupressure at the Zusanli (ST-36), Hegu (LI-4), and Sanyingjiao (SP-6), whereas sham pressure was used in the placebo group and no intervention was applied in the control group; the level of fatigue of participants in three groups was calculated in three phases, before, during, and after chemotherapy. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 22. The results showed that the mean of visual analog score of fatigue is significantly different in three groups at the end of chemotherapy (p = 0.021). The mean visual analog score of fatigue in the acupressure group was meaningfully lower than that in the control group after chemotherapy (p = 0.028). Results of this investigation showed that acupressure has short-term effectiveness on the cancer-related fatigue of patients undergoing chemotherapy.