Difference of delayed post-tonsillectomy bleeding between children and adults.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the characteristics of post-tonsillectomy bleeding and its management comparing with adults.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review of 1489 patients who underwent tonsillectomy in our institution (June 2003-June 2006).


RESULTS
Post-tonsillectomy bleeding rate was 3.1%, 2.5% and 10.8% in younger children (age< or =11 years), older children (12< or =age< or =15 years) and adults (age>15 years), respectively. Although adults showed an unimodal peak time for onset of post-tonsillectomy bleeding, children showed a bimodal peak time. In the younger child group, all of the 28 bleeders had spontaneous hemostasis. However, in the older child group, there was no spontaneous hemostasis. Bleeding was controlled under local anesthesia in 3 patients and 2 patients required general anesthesia for bleeding control. In the adult group, spontaneous cessation of bleeding occurred in 25 patients (60.9%) and hemostasis under local or general anesthesia was performed in 16 (39.1%) patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Post-tonsillectomy bleeding occurred more frequently in adults than in children. Spontaneous hemostasis was more prevalent in children than in adults. Post-tonsillectomy bleeding in the younger child group was controlled with close observation alone.
Kim
Dong Wook
DW
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 300 Goomi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam 463-707, Republic of Korea.
Koo
Ja-Won
JW
Ahn
Soon-Hyun
SH
Lee
Chul Hee
CH
Kim
Jeong-Whun
JW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult