The purpose of this study was to compare bipolar electrodissection tonsillectomy with traditional cold dissection tonsillectomy in the pediatric population. Forty children with recurrent tonsillitis and/or obstructive symptoms were included in the study. The study population was randomly divided into two groups, and the two techniques were compared with regard to operative time, intraoperative and postoperative bleeding and postoperative pain. There were 23 children in the bipolar electrodissection tonsillectomy group (mean age, 8.1 years; range, 5-12 years), and 17 children in the cold dissection tonsillectomy group (mean age, 6.7 years; range, 5-12 years). The average operative times were 15.2+/-8.5 min for bipolar electrodissection tonsillectomy and 29.06+/-13.5 min for cold dissection tonsillectomy (P < 0.05). The blood loss in bipolar electrodissection tonsillectomy and cold dissection tonsillectomy was 5.0+/-4.2 ml and 32.1+/-11.3 ml, respectively (P < 0.05). Postoperative hemorrhage was not observed. Bipolar electrodissection tonsillectomy was less painful the first 30 min postoperatively (P < 0.05). Bipolar electrodissection tonsillectomy in children is a useful technique, with results comparable to traditional cold dissection tonsillectomy.