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Risk factors for secondary post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage following tonsillectomy with bipolar scissors: four-year retrospective cohort study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 December 2016

T Harju  and
J Numminen
T Harju*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tampere University Hospital, Finland
J Numminen
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tampere University Hospital, Finland
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Teemu Harju, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tampere University Hospital, Teiskontie 35, 33521 Tampere, Finland E-mail: harjtee@gmail.com
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Abstract

Objective:

To analyse risk factors associated with secondary post-operative bleeding when only one technique, namely bipolar scissors, is used.

Methods:

The medical records of all consecutive patients aged six years or older who underwent tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy between 1 December 2010 and 30 November 2014 were retrospectively analysed.

Results:

A total of 1734 patients were included in the study. A secondary haemorrhage occurred in 208 patients (12 per cent). Patients aged 15 years or older were 4.5 times (95 per cent confidence interval = 2.6–7.9; p < 0.001) more likely to experience secondary haemorrhage. In cases of acute quinsy, patients aged 15 years or older had an 8.1-fold (95 per cent confidence interval = 1.1–59.6; p = 0.02) increased likelihood of experiencing secondary haemorrhage.

Conclusion:

Patients aged 15 years or older have a higher risk for bleeding regardless of the primary indication for the tonsillectomy. The risk for secondary haemorrhage does not seem to depend on the primary indication itself.

Keywords

TonsillectomyHemorrhageRisk FactorsAge GroupsSex
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 131 , Issue 2 , February 2017 , pp. 155 - 161
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2016 

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