title: Antibiotic prophylaxis in tonsillectomy and its relationship with postoperative morbidity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postoperative pain is the main symptom and the most incapacitating one in tonsillectomy, and prescribing oral antibiotics to reduce postoperative pain is common. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 2 different prophylactic antibiotic schemes to reduce postoperative morbidity in paediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy. One scheme consisted of a single-dose preoperative cephalothin, while the second was an oral antibiotic.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an open randomized trial on patients aged 4-15 years undergoing tonsillectomy. The experimental group received single-dose intravenous cephalothin, while the control group received single-dose intravenous cephalothin plus oral suspension of amoxicillin/clavulanate for 7 days. We compared the presence and intensity of pain, limitations to normal diet, habitual activities, halitosis, otalgia and nausea within 7 days after surgery using the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale and a questionnaire for the parents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the 102 patients that underwent tonsillectomy (51 per group), there was no difference in the presence and severity of postoperative pain between the 2 groups (P>.05). Neither was there any difference in the days needed to return to normal activities, normal diet, and duration of days with halitosis, otalgia or nausea. Just 1 patient from the control group had postoperative bleeding. There were no infectious complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of single-dose preoperative intravenous cephalothin has the same efficacy as the use of oral amoxicillin/clavulanate for 7 days in reducing morbidity in paediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy and offers safe antimicrobial prophylaxis. Consequently, the routine use of oral antibiotics should be avoided.
authors.affiliation: Otorrinolaringología, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey, México. orl.manuelgil@gmail.com
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gil-Ascencio
authors.forename: Carlos Jorge
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Castillo-Gómez
authors.forename: Gerardo Del Carmen
authors.initials: Gdel C
authors.lastname: Palacios-Saucedo
authors.forename: Adrián
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valle-de la O
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014068:Tonsillectomy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Amigdalectomía; Antibiotics; Antibióticos; Dolor; Morbidity; Morbilidad; Pain; Tonsillectomy