Tonsillectomy in Australia: an audit of surgical technique and postoperative care.
OBJECTIVE
To assess current tonsillectomy practice among Australian otolaryngologists.


METHODS
An audit based on an anonymous 19-item postal questionnaire on tonsillectomy technique and perioperative management sent to all Australian otolaryngology specialists.


METHODS
Two hundred eighty-four otolaryngologists registered with the Australian Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery database were sent the questionnaire.


RESULTS
A 72.5 percent response rate was obtained. Monopolar diathermy was the most common technique for dissection (45%) and hemostasis (54%). Bipolar diathermy was used for hemostasis in 20 percent. Cold-steel dissection was routinely used by 36 percent, ties were used for hemostasis only by 11 percent of surgeons. The use of local anesthetic, dexamethasone, and postoperative antibiotics was 45 percent, 40 percent, and 20 percent, respectively. Seventy-six percent of surgeons always observed tonsil patients overnight.


CONCLUSIONS
Australian surgeons still use monopolar diathermy as their preferred technique for tonsillectomy. Local anesthetic, dexamethasone, and postoperative antibiotics are used infrequently, and fewer than 1:4 surgeons perform day-case tonsillectomy.
Macfarlane
Patricia L
PL
Department of ENT, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Nasser
Simon
S
Coman
William B
WB
Kiss
Gregory
G
Harris
Penelope K
PK
Carney
A Simon
AS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001315:Australia; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D005260:Female; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D010036:Otolaryngology; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000379:methods*
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone