title: Post-tonsillectomy and -adenoidectomy hemorrhage in nonselected patients.
abstract: This retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of hemorrhage in nonselected patients requiring surgical treatment after adenoidectomy (group 1; 7,785 patients) or tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy (group 2; 6,794 patients). Postoperative bleeding from the tonsillar fossae occurred in 200 patients (2.94%). Primary hemorrhage (< 24 hours) clearly prevailed in groups 1 (86%) and 2 (78%). There was 1 case with a lethal outcome following tonsillectomy (0.007%). Bleeding from the epipharynx occurred in 17 patients of group 1 (0.21%). A total of 5 patients received blood transfusions, all of them belonging to group 2 (0.07%). The latest bleeding occurred 6 days (adenoidectomy) and 18 days (tonsillectomy) after surgery. Hemorrhage following both procedures is a rare complication predominantly occurring several hours after surgery and in nonselected patients. Male gender, age over 70 years, infectious mononucleosis, and a history of recurrent tonsillitis were found to be risk factors for posttonsillectomy hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, St Anna Hospital, Albertus Magnus Str 33, 47259 Duisburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Windfuhr
authors.forename: Yue-Shih
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000233:Adenoidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy; D012008:Recurrence; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery