Post-operative haemorrhage in tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in children

A second anaesthetic for bleeding after adeno-tonsillectomy in children represents a significant hazard. The true incidence of this complication is assessed for over 20,000 operations. The incidence of bleeding after adeno-tonsillectomy was found to be the sum of bleeding post-adenoidectomy and post-tonsillectomy. Bleeding post-adenoidectomy is at least as common as post-tonsillectomy and both occur most frequently within 12 hours of operation. No reason for the bleeding occurring in these particular patients could be found.