Amaç: Bu çalışmada tonsillektomi öncesi ve sonrasında yüzey elektromiyografisi yöntemi ile yutma fonksiyonları değerlendirildi.Hastalar ve Yöntemler: Ekim 2008 - Şubat 2009 yılları arasında kliniğimizde yapılan bu ileriye dönük çalışmaya, tonsillektomi endikasyonu olan 20 hasta 12 erkek, 8 kadın; ort. yaş 23.8 yıl; dağılım 17-30 yıl çalışma grubu, 10 sağlıklı birey 8 erkek, 2 kadın; ort. yaş 26 yıl; dağılım 18-35 yıl ise kontrol grubu olarak alındı. Yutmanın oral ve farengeal fazlarında önemli bir rol oynadıklarından masseter kası, submental-submandibüler kas grubu ve infrahiyoid kas gruplarına yüzey elektromiyografisi işlemi uygulanarak bu kasların elektrik aktiviteleri ve kasılma süreleri ölçüldü. Bunun için her hastaya, ameliyat öncesi ve ameliyat sonrası 1. hafta ve 1. ayda tek yudum su yutma ve sonrasında 100 cc su içme testi uygulandı.Bulgular: Çalışma grubunda ameliyat öncesi içme süreleri kontrol grubundan anlamlı derecede daha uzun idi p

Objectives: In this study, we evaluated the swallowing function with surface electromyography before and after tonsillectomy. Patients and Methods: Twenty patients 12 males, 8 females; mean age 23.8 years; range 17 to 30 years who had tonsillectomy indication as study group, and 10 healthy individuals 8 males, 2 females; mean age 26 years; range 18 to 35 years as control group were included in this prospective study between October 2008 and February 2009. Due to their significant role on oral and faringeal phases of swallowing; the surface electromyography prosedure is performed on the masseter muscle, the submental-submandibular muscle group and the infrahyoid muscles to measure their electrical activity and duration of contraction. For this purpose, single swallow and continuous drinking of 100 cc water tests were applied to each patient preoperatively and; in the postoperative 1st week and the 1st month. Results: The preoperative duration of drinking periods were significanly longer in the study group compared to the control group p<0.05 . At the end of the first postoperative week the duration of drinking 100 cc water test was significantly longer than the preoperative mean of the study group p<0.05 . After one month single- swallow durations of study group were significantly shorter then the preoperative mean p<0.05 . The electrical activity of the masseter and infrahyoid muscles were significantly higher in study group compared with control group p<0.05 . Conclusion: The close proximity of the surgical area to the muscles affects swallowing after tonsillectomy. The surface electromyography is a simple, non-invasive and reliable method for postoperative evaluation of the swallowing functions of the throat muscles and thereby allows monitoring of the recovery and functional improvement of these muscles.