Paediatric Day Case Tonsillectomy - Audit of a New Programme.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Pediatric Surgery
• Healthcare Auditing

Background:

• Day case tonsillectomy is increasingly common for pediatric patients.
• Assessing unplanned admission and readmission rates is crucial for quality improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To audit 30-day unplanned admission and readmission rates after pediatric day case tonsillectomy.
• To evaluate patient demographics and surgical/anesthetic techniques used.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 34 pediatric patients (ages 5-17) undergoing tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy.
• Analysis of unplanned admissions and readmissions within 30 days post-procedure.

Main Results:

• Six patients (17.6%) experienced unplanned admissions or readmissions within 30 days.
• The rate was not statistically significantly higher than the acceptable benchmark of 15%.
• Bleeding accounted for four readmissions (11.8%), nausea/poor intake for one (2.9%), and sleep apnea concerns for one (2.9%).

Conclusions:

• While the 30-day unplanned admission/readmission rate did not exceed the acceptable threshold, bleeding remains a significant concern.
• Variability in anesthetic techniques was noted.
• Standardization of care and multidisciplinary collaboration are recommended to further reduce unplanned admissions and readmissions.