title: Investigation of Postoperative Oral Fluid Intake as a Predictor of Postoperative Emergency Department Visits After Pediatric Tonsillectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study contributes novel data on the association between oral fluid intake before discharge and adverse outcomes following tonsillectomy in pediatric patients. These data contribute to evidence-based, safe, and cost-effective decision making regarding discharge.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the quantity of oral fluid intake before discharge is associated with adverse outcomes following tonsillectomy in pediatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using the electronic medical records of 1183 pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy between September 24, 2012, and June 5, 2015, at a tertiary care academic medical center. Exclusion criteria included age 18 years or older, overnight admission, and missing data on fluid intake. The final cohort comprised 473 patients. Data analysis was conducted from July 8 to August 23, 2015.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients underwent tonsillectomy by 1 of 7 attending surgeons at our institution. All patients were given intravenous fluids and analgesia in the postanesthesia care unit before being admitted to the pediatric inpatient floor for monitoring before discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome measured was presentation to the emergency department within 2 weeks after tonsillectomy with a related complication. We also recorded hospital readmissions and returns to the operating room for related complications. The primary diagnosis was noted for each complication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 473 patients (235 male; mean [SD] age, 7.2 [3.5] years), oral fluid intake after tonsillectomy ranged from 0.7 to 66.7 mL/kg, with a mean (SD) intake of 18.2 (10.8) mL/kg. Mean (SD) time to discharge was 6.96 (1.91) hours (range, 1.68-14.25 hours). Overall, 31 patients (6.6%) presented to the emergency department for a related complication after tonsillectomy. No correlation was found between oral fluid intake after tonsillectomy and presentation to the emergency department (odds ratio, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.98-1.08; P = .29).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that oral fluid intake before discharge is not predictive of presentation to the emergency department after tonsillectomy within the ranges studied and at this institution. Therefore, discharge criteria based strictly on thresholds for oral fluid intake may be unnecessary. Further study at multiple institutions using a wider range of fluid intake volumes or a large-scale randomized clinical trial is needed before conclusions can be generalized.
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Matthew L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rohlfing
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Wistermayer
authors.affiliation: George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Tayler M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Bungo
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
authors.forename: J Whitman
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Mims
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kirse
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003657:Decision Making; D004326:Drinking / Q000502:physiology*; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000639:trends; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000639:trends; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014068:Tonsillectomy