Complications of turbinate reduction surgery in combination with tonsillectomy in pediatric patients

To examine whether the addition of turbinoplasty to tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) increases the risk of postoperative complications.

Retrospective cohort study of children (18 years old and younger) who underwent tonsillectomy and/or turbinoplasty between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2015 using the 2016 Pediatric Health Information System administrative database METHODS: Patients were divided into three groups: 1) T&A and turbinoplasty, 2) T&A alone, and 3) turbinoplasty alone. Postoperative revisit, hemorrhage requiring cautery, and blood transfusion rates were compared between groups.

A total of 75,761 patients met inclusion criteria: 3,079 underwent both T&A and turbinoplasty, 72,043 underwent T&A alone, and 639 underwent turbinoplasty alone. The rate of 14-day relevant revisits after T&A in combination with turbinate reduction surgery was not significantly higher than that of T&A alone (9.4% vs. 8.6%; P = .11). The revisit rate after turbinoplasty alone was 1.4%. Indications for revisits did not differ between the T&A and turbinoplasty group versus T&A alone group (P = .23). Furthermore, the rates of hemorrhage requiring cauterization was similar between the two groups (1.4% vs. 1.5%; P = .64). Twenty-one patients who underwent T&A alone required blood transfusion after they were readmitted; no cases in the other two groups required blood transfusion.

Turbinoplasty and T&A performed together do not increase the risk of postoperative revisit or hemorrhage requiring cauterization, and can therefore be considered as a combined procedure. Pediatric patients will benefit from avoiding the additional risk of multiple anesthetics and repeated intubation.

4. Laryngoscope, 127:1920-1923, 2017.