Post tonsillectomy hemorrhage: a ten-year retrospective study

Tonsillectomy remains one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the world. One of the most significant complications is postoperative hemorrhage. Though most bleeding often can be controlled with local anesthesia in an office or emergency room, some patients require return to the operating room for general anesthesia to control the hemorrhage. A ten-year retrospective study was done to review patients who required return to the operating room for general anesthesia for control of hemorrhage. Variables investigated include age, gender, time of surgery, onset of hemorrhage, season of the year, and the amount of blood loss noted during initial surgery. Seven of the 756 patients (.93%) required a second general anesthesia to control hemorrhage. Seasonal and gender predilictions are noted in this study. Recent trends in tonsillectomy are reviewed. Postoperative hemorrhage creates anxiety, prolongs morbidity, and increases health care cost. Limiting this complication is clearly in the best interest of both patient and surgeon.