Objective: Hemorrhages are main complications after tonsillectomy, whatever technique is used. This prospective study aimed at revealing pros and cons associated with monopolar electrodissection tonsillectomy.
Study design: A prospective study.
Methods: A prospective study on all patients undergoing tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy in Central Hospital of Central Finland in 1997. Operation time and bleeding, as well as perioperative and postoperative complications, were recorded.
Results: Inpatient tonsillectomy was performed in 440 patients (mean age, 17.9 y). Primary post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage (within 24 h) occurred in 2.3%. A total of 15.9% of patients searched for medical help because of secondary post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage, 7.7% receiving active treatment and 8.2% not. Post-tonsillectomy hemorrhages proved to be most common in older patients and when peritonsillar abscess was in patient history.
Conclusions: Monopolar electrodissection tonsillectomy was fast and resulted in little intraoperative bleeding. However, postoperative hemorrhages were common, and the mean use of analgesics was for more than 10 days. Preoperative counseling must be thorough and realistic. Our results indicate that better methods for tonsillectomy still need to be developed.