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The starship children's hospital tonsillectomy: A further 10 years of experience
Author(s) -
Mahadevan Murali,
van der Meer Graeme,
Gruber Maayan,
Reed Peter,
Jackson Conor,
Brown Colin,
Mills Nikki,
Salkeld Lesley J.,
Neeff Michel,
Evans Jan,
Anderson Brian,
Barber Colin
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.26041
Subject(s) - medicine , tonsillectomy , bleed , confidence interval , adenoidectomy , incidence (geometry) , surgery , prospective cohort study , pediatrics , physics , optics
Objectives/Hypothesis Tonsillectomy as a day‐stay procedure remains controversial, although it is an established procedure in New Zealand. We reviewed our last 10 years' experience. Methods A prospective audit was used to determine unplanned conversion from day‐stay to overnight hospital admission rates and the incidence of postoperative complications. Results There were 5,400 tonsillectomies performed over the 10‐year study period (January 2004–January 2015); 71% as outpatients. The unplanned conversion rate to overnight stay was 0.4%. The median age of day‐stay patients was 6.5 years (range 13 months–15 years) compared with those admitted for overnight stay (5 years; range 8 months–15 years). The primary postoperative bleed rate was 0.5% (confidence interval [CI] 0.3%–0.7%), and the combined primary and secondary posttonsillectomy bleed rate was 4.3% (CI 3.8%–5.0%). The rate of patients returning with postoperative complications within 1 month of surgery was 6.3% (CI 5.6%–7.0%). Conclusion Day‐stay tonsillectomy in the pediatric population is safe when performed using the described guidelines in a facility with appropriate resources. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope , 126:E416–E420, 2016