title: The admission of patients with peri-tonsillar abscess to a general ENT ward and its influence on secondary post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage.
abstract: Patients with peri-tonsillar abscess require hospitalization. The aim of this prospective study was to determine whether the admission of patients with peri-tonsillar abscess to the same ward as those undergoing tonsillectomy influences the incidence of secondary post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage. We included all adult patients undergoing in-patient tonsillectomy (n = 183) and all patients with proven peri-tonsillar abscess (n = 46) over a 1-year period. Both patient groups were nursed in the same general otolaryngology ward. The operation dates of those patients who developed secondary post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage were matched to the dates when patients with peri-tonsillar abscess were admitted. Out of the 71 patients who had tonsillectomy on days when patients with peri-tonsillar abscess were admitted, 10 developed secondary haemorrhage. Out of the 112 patients who had tonsillectomy on days when no one in the ward had peri-tonsillar abscess, 16 developed secondary haemorrhage. No difference was demonstrated (chi2 = 0.0014, P > 0.05). In this study, admission of patients with peri-tonsillar abscess to a general otolaryngology ward does not influence the incidence of secondary post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage in patients undergoing elective surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK.
authors.forename: M S W
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: M-L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Montague
authors.forename: S S M
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hussain
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010036:Otolaryngology; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000039:Peritonsillar Abscess / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery*; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000379:methods*