Question 3: is coblator adenoidectomy in pediatric patients associated with higher operative time?
COLD
This is a relevant point considering that a previous study found that one of the most significant factors contributing to the choice of instrument in adenotonsillectomy is the duration of the procedure [The literature suggests that coblator adenoidectomy is associated with longer operative time compared to cold curettage, however, it is not superior to other power-assisted techniques such as the microdebrider. Thus, the pooled data from the network meta-analysis by Sun et al [The main difficulty in comparing studies is that different authors report operative time differently. Thus, some groups calculate the total time spent in the operating theatre or operating room, others calculate it as the time from induction of anesthesia to the end of surgery [Shapiro et al [In conclusion, coblator may be associated with longer operative time, although this could not be demonstrated in a network meta-analysis due to wide confidence intervals and heterogeneity of studies.