Does hydrogen peroxide mouthwash improve the outcome of secondary post-tonsillectomy bleed? A 10-year review.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) mouthwash influences the outcome of secondary post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage in children.


METHODS
Ten-year retrospective study of all children with secondary post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage.


METHODS
Tertiary otolaryngology center.


RESULTS
Of the 156 patients, 59 received H(2)O(2) and 97 did not. All patients received broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics. The average rehospitalization duration due to hemorrhage was 1.7 days (H(2)O(2) group) and 1.6 days (control group). In the H(2)O(2) group, 8.5% required surgery, compared with 10.3% in the control group. Further hemorrhage episodes requiring readmission occurred in 3.4% of the H(2)O(2) group and 3.1% of controls. There was no difference between the 2 groups in rehospitalization duration (P = 0.49), rate of surgical intervention (P = 0.85), and rate of readmission with further hemorrhage (P = 0.92).


CONCLUSIONS
Hydrogen peroxide mouthwash does not improve the outcome of secondary post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage in pediatric patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This study does not support the common practice of treating post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage with H(2)O(2).
Pai
Irumee
I
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, St. George's Hospital Medical School, University of London, London, UK. irumeepai@hotmail.com
Lo
Stephen
S
Brown
Satsuki
S
Toma
Abbad G
AG
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009067:Mouthwashes; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide