Intraoperative ketorolac and posttonsillectomy bleeding.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the occurrence of posttonsillectomy bleeding in patients who received intraoperative ketorolac tromethamine.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis.


METHODS
Academic tertiary care center.


METHODS
Three hundred eleven patients who underwent tonsillectomy in an 18-month period.


METHODS
Occurrence of bleeding complications in patients who received ketorolac during tonsillectomy.


RESULTS
Fifty-eight of 311 patients who underwent tonsillectomy received intraoperative ketorolac with an overall postoperative bleeding rate of 17%. This high rate of bleeding complications compares with 4.4% in the remaining 253 patients who received traditional opioid analgesics.


CONCLUSIONS
Until further controlled studies have been conducted, the use of ketorolac in patients undergoing tonsillectomy should be avoided because of the increased incidence of postoperative bleeding complications.
Judkins
J H
JH
Department of Surgery, University of Vermont, Burlington, USA.
Dray
T G
TG
Hubbell
R N
RN
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D020911:Ketorolac Tromethamine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014046:Tolmetin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D014068:Tonsillectomy; D014325:Tromethamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
D000700:Analgesics; D014325:Tromethamine; D020911:Ketorolac Tromethamine; D014046:Tolmetin