title: A 7-year review of the safety of tonsillectomy during short-term medical mission trips.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety of tonsillectomy in a short-term medical mission setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Catholic mission hospital in Guatemala.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 7 consecutive annual mission trips from 2004 to 2010, patients received tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy. Established safety protocol requires candidates for tonsillectomy to agree to stay within 1 hour of the hospital for 10 days following the operation. This study includes all tonsillectomy patients regardless of age or indication for tonsillectomy. The primary outcome measures include posttonsillectomy hemorrhage, nasopharyngeal reflux, readmission for dehydration, and mortality. This is a novel study as the work performed by most short-term medical missions is unregulated and unevaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Medical charts were available for 197 (96.6%) of the 204 patients receiving tonsillectomy in the 7-year period; this was the only inclusion criterion. Ninety-nine (50.3%) patients had tonsillectomy concomitantly with adenoidectomy. Patients ranged in age from 3 to 66 years. The mean (SD) age was 17.2 (14.0) years. The study team found documentation of postoperative complications in 3 (1.5%) patients; 2 experienced postoperative hemorrhage, 1 within the first postoperative hour and 1 at 96 hours. The final patient returned to the hospital within 24 hours symptomatic for dehydration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors have evaluated a protocol for tonsillectomy patients in a specific setting and believe their data represent satisfactory outcomes for the reviewed patients. The generalizability of this information is uncertain, but safety protocols should be established on all short-term medical missions to prevent untoward complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas 66160, USA. ksykes@kumc.edu
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Sykes
authors.forename: Phong T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Sale
authors.forename: Pamela J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Nicklaus
mesh_terms: D000233:Adenoidectomy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006166:Guatemala / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008493:Medical Missions; D008875:Middle Aged; D061214:Patient Safety; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014068:Tonsillectomy; D014195:Travel