Aim:
Investigation of features of patients with post-tonsillectomy bleeding and evaluation of clinical approach to those patients in a second-degree state hospital.
Methods:
In this retrospective study we evaluated records of 322 patients who had undergone onsillectomy in the Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) at Babaeski State Hospital, a second-degree state hospital between March 2009 and December 2012. The median age of the subjects was 19.8 (5-45) years.
Results:
A total of 18 patients (5.5%, 11 female, 7 male) had reported post tonsillectomy bleeding. Two patients had primary (11%), 16 (89%) had secondary bleeding. Admittance days of secondary bleeding patients were recorded (two at the 3rd, two at the 4th, six at the 5th, one at the 6th, four at the 7th and one at the 10th days, post-operatively). Bleeding was controlled in 4 patients using conservative methods. In 14 patients, bleeding was brought under control in the operating room. External carotid artery ligation was not performed in any patient.
Conclusion:
Tonsillectomy is a common ENT operation. The most important and life-threatening complication of this operation is bleeding. Investigating the clinical features of patients with post-tonsillectomy bleeding may help us in taking appropriate precautions to reduce the incidence of this complication.
Keywords: Bleeding, complication, risk factors, tonsillectomy