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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
05:07
CO2-Lasertonsillotomy Under Local Anesthesia in Adults
Published on: November 6, 2019
Outpatient tonsillectomy in children: a systematic review
Matthew T Brigger1, Scott E Brietzke
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, National Naval Medical Center, 8901 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA. matt.brigger@alumni.vanderbilt.edu
Summary
Outpatient pediatric tonsillectomy is generally safe, with fair evidence supporting its use. However, children under age 4 face a higher risk of complications and unplanned admissions.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Background:
- Tonsillectomy is a common pediatric surgical procedure.
- Outpatient tonsillectomy offers potential benefits but requires careful safety evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and assess the evidence for the safety of outpatient pediatric tonsillectomy.
- To determine the overall level of evidence and pooled complication rates.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of medical literature on outpatient pediatric tonsillectomy.
- Assessment of evidence levels and data pooling for complication and readmission rates.
- Subgroup analysis for risk factors, including age.
Main Results:
- Seventeen articles indicated outpatient tonsillectomy is safe, with a fair level of evidence (Grade B-).
- Pooled perioperative complication rate was 8.8%, and unplanned admission rate was 8.0%.
- Children under 4 years old demonstrated a 1.64-fold increased risk of perioperative complications.
Conclusions:
- The evidence supporting outpatient pediatric tonsillectomy safety is fair.
- Outpatient tonsillectomy is supported for properly selected pediatric patients.
- Younger children (under 4) require closer monitoring due to higher complication risks.
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