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Analysis of prognostic factors for postoperative bleeding after tonsillectomy

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Abstract

Postoperative bleeding is the most frequent surgical complication after tonsillectomy and may be associated with increased mortality rate. We have, therefore, analyzed factors associated with and prognostic for bleeding after tonsillectomy. The 2,254 patients who underwent tonsillectomy under general anesthesia at our institution from January 2005 to December 2009 were divided into bleeding and non-bleeding groups, and their demographic and clinical characteristics were compared. Age, administration of steroid immediately after general anesthesia, absence of administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and the surgeon’s experience were significantly associated with bleeding. In contrast, gender, chief complaints, performance of associated surgery, and type of anesthetic were not associated with postoperative bleeding. Hemorrhage after tonsillectomy was associated with the administration of steroids and with the non-administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anaesthesiology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea

    M. K. Kim

  2. Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine, and Anaesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    J. W. Lee

  3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea

    M. G. Kim & S. Y. Ha

  4. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi-dong #1, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 130-702, Korea

    J. S. Lee & S. G. Yeo

Authors
  1. M. K. Kim
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  2. J. W. Lee
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  3. M. G. Kim
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  4. S. Y. Ha
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  5. J. S. Lee
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  6. S. G. Yeo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. G. Yeo.

Additional information

M. K. Kim and J. S. Lee contributed equally to this work.

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Kim, M.K., Lee, J.W., Kim, M.G. et al. Analysis of prognostic factors for postoperative bleeding after tonsillectomy . Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 269, 977–981 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-011-1697-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-011-1697-5

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