Post-tonsillectomy morbidity statistics: are they underestimated?
BACKGROUND
Post-tonsillectomy morbidity statistics are obtained when patients present to hospital with complications. The two common morbidities are pain and haemorrhage. Hospital-recorded morbidity rates may be an underestimation, as some patients are treated by general practitioners and are therefore not included in hospital audits.


METHODS
Prospective, cohort, questionnaire study to assess: the post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage rate (i.e. actual rate versus hospital recorded rate); and the number of patients with post-operative pain and/or bleeding who were treated with antibiotics by their general practitioner.


RESULTS
The response rate was 76 per cent (70/92). The actual rate of secondary haemorrhage was three times that noted in the hospital records (15.7 vs 5.7 per cent, respectively). Fifteen patients (21 per cent) required extra analgesia after discharge. General practitioners prescribed antibiotics for pain alone in six patients (11 per cent).


CONCLUSIONS
The actual post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage rate is much higher than that recorded in hospital statistics. General practitioners differ in their treatment of post-tonsillectomy patients presenting with pain alone; some prescribe antibiotics in addition to analgesia.
Doshi
J
J
Department of Otolaryngology, Darlington Memorial Hospital, UK. jayeshdoshi@hotmail.com
Damadora
M
M
Gregory
S
S
Anari
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000700:Analgesics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents