Dependent factors in the adult patient and their relationship with post-tonsillectomy bleeding and pain in an outpatient setting

Abstract

Introduction and objective: Tonsillectomy performed on an outpatient basis in adult patients presents bleeding and pain as main postoperative complications. Following rules such as cold surgical technique, analgesic protocols, preoperative interview, and postoperative follow-up help to better control the process. However, there are patient-dependent factors such as sex, age, indication for tonsillectomy and the time elapsed between the last tonsil infection and surgical intervention that can influence postoperative complications and should be considered. The objective of this work is to evaluate the influence of age, sex, the indication for tonsillectomy and the period elapsed between the last tonsil infection and surgery on bleeding and pain control.

Methods: A prospective, descriptive, and observational study was carried out in 96 adult patients who underwent outpatient surgery under general anaesthesia, using cold surgical technique, evaluating these complications based on age, sex, indication for tonsillectomy and time elapsed after the last tonsillitis.

Results: The patients operated on during the 4 weeks after an episode of tonsillitis presented more postoperative pain. No relationship was found between this period and postoperative bleeding.

Conclusions: Male patients had a higher incidence of bleeding than women. The period elapsed between the last tonsil infection and the surgical procedure was associated with greater postoperative pain, but not with greater postoperative bleeding.

Keywords: Amigdalectomía; Bleeding; Complicaciones postoperatorias; Dolor; Hemorragia; Pain; Postoperative complications; Tonsillectomy.