Does surgical technique influence post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage? Our experience.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Surgical Techniques
• Postoperative Complications

Background:

• Tonsillectomy is a common otolaryngologic procedure.
• Hemorrhage is the most frequent complication following tonsillectomy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the hemorrhage rate after tonsillectomy.
• To analyze the relationship between surgical technique, patient age, and diagnosis with hemorrhage.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 429 patients from April 2012 to January 2014.
• Surgical techniques included cold, Colorado needle, and monopolar forceps dissection.
• Hemostasis achieved with monopolar forceps and gauze compression.

Main Results:

• Overall post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage rate was 6.99%.
• Cold dissection showed the lowest bleeding rate (2.9%), while monopolar forceps dissection had the highest (20.4%).
• Patients over 14 years old and those with peritonsillar abscess had higher bleeding rates. Reintervention was needed in 2.09% of cases.

Conclusions:

• Cold dissection combined with monopolar forceps hemostasis yielded the lowest bleeding rate (2.09%).
• Surgical technique is a significant factor influencing post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage.