Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2013 Oct;123(10):2544-53.
doi: 10.1002/lary.23926. Epub 2013 Apr 17.

Mortality and major morbidity after tonsillectomy: etiologic factors and strategies for prevention

Julie L Goldman  1 , Reginald F Baugh, Louise Davies, Margaret L Skinner, Robert J Stachler, Jean Brereton, Lee D Eisenberg, David W Roberson, Michael J Brenner
Affiliations

Mortality and major morbidity after tonsillectomy: etiologic factors and strategies for prevention

Julie L Goldman et al. Laryngoscope. 2013 Oct.

Abstract

Objective/hypothesis: To report data on death or permanent disability after tonsillectomy.

Study design: Electronic mail survey.

Methods: A 32-question survey was disseminated via the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery electronic newsletter. Recipients were queried regarding adverse events after tonsillectomy, capturing demographic data, risk factors, and detailed descriptions. Events were classified using a hierarchical taxonomy.

Results: A group of 552 respondents reported 51 instances of post-tonsillectomy mortality, and four instances of anoxic brain injury. These events occurred in 38 children (71%), 15 adults (25%), and two patients of unstated age (4%). The events were classified as related to medication (22%), pulmonary/cardiorespiratory factors (20%), hemorrhage (16%), perioperative events (7%), progression of underlying disease (5%), or unexplained (31%). Of unexplained events, all but one occurred outside the hospital. One or more comorbidities were identified in 58% of patients, most often neurologic impairment (24%), obesity (18%), or cardiopulmonary compromise (15%). A preoperative diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea was not associated with increased risk of death or anoxic brain injury. Most events (55%) occurred within the first 2 postoperative days. Otolaryngologists who reported performing <200 tonsillectomies per year were more likely to report an event (P < .001).

Conclusions: This study, the largest collection of original reports of post-tonsillectomy mortality to date, found that events unrelated to bleeding accounted for a preponderance of deaths and anoxic brain injury. Further research is needed to establish best practices for patient admission, monitoring, and pain management.

Level of evidence: N/A.

Keywords: Tonsillectomy; clinical practice guideline; complications; hemorrhage; morbidity; mortality; obstructive sleep apnea; patient safety; quality; survey; tonsillitis.

PubMed Disclaimer