title: Post-tonsillectomy complications in children less than three years of age: a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the need for post-tonsillectomy admission in children under the age of three years.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of 127 children under the age of three years who underwent tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy were reviewed for complications and compared to 127 gender-matched controls between three to four years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall complication rate in the study group was 9.4% (12 of 127). Early complications (3.1%) were respiratory related, while late complications (6.3%) were due to dehydration and hemorrhage. Comparable complication rate was observed in the control group (8.7%, P>0.05); early complication rate of 3.1% and late complication rate of 5.5% was ascertained. Similar types of complications occurred in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Post-tonsillectomy complication rates were low and no significant difference was observed between the study and control groups. This suggests that postoperative admission for children younger than three years of age may not be necessary in all cases.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Canada.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Belyea
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Youjin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Canada.
authors.forename: Matthew H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rigby
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Canada; IWK Health Centre, Department of Surgery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corsten
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Canada; IWK Health Centre, Department of Surgery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Electronic address: Paul.Hong@iwk.nshealth.ca.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003681:Dehydration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009674:Nova Scotia; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012016:Reference Values; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Admission criteria; Complications; Guidelines; Postoperative management; Tonsillectomy