Ninety-Day Emergency Department Rebound Following Adult Tonsillectomy: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Post-tonsillectomy complications frequently lead to emergency department (ED) visits.
• Reducing these postoperative ED visits is crucial for healthcare system efficiency and patient well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the rate and primary reasons for emergency department visits within 90 days following adult tonsillectomy.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study analyzed administrative data for adult tonsillectomy patients in Nova Scotia, Canada, from 2016 to 2022.
• The study focused on the first post-operative ED visit within 90 days of discharge.

Main Results:

• Out of 356 adult tonsillectomy patients, 129 (36.2%) visited the ED within 90 days.
• A surgery-specific ED visit rate of 27.8% was observed, with bleeding (47.5%) and pain (36.4%) as the most common reasons.
• Approximately 48.5% of surgery-related ED visits might be preventable.

Conclusions:

• The study identified a significant ED visit rate (27.8%) related to adult tonsillectomy, mainly due to bleeding and pain.
• While some ED visits for bleeding are necessary, optimizing pain control and improving access to urgent outpatient care could reduce preventable ED visits.
• Findings suggest a higher healthcare utilization post-adult tonsillectomy, underscoring the need for enhanced post-operative management strategies.