Post tonsillectomy morbidity: following the introduction of single-use-instruments

Does Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash Improve the Outcome of Secondary Post-Tonsillectomy Bleed? A 10-year Review

Objective:

To determine whether hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) mouthwash influences the outcome of secondary post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage in children.

Study Design:

Ten-year retrospective study of all children with secondary post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage.

Setting:

Tertiary otolaryngology center.

Results:

Of the 156 patients, 59 received H2O2 and 97 did not. All patients received broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics. The average rehospitalization duration due to hemorrhage was 1.7 days (H2O2 group) and 1.6 days (control group). In the H2O2 group, 8.5% required surgery, compared with 10.3% in the control group. Further hemorrhage episodes requiring readmission occurred in 3.4% of the H2O2 group and 3.1% of controls. There was no difference between the 2 groups in rehospitalization duration ( P = 0.49), rate of surgical intervention ( P = 0.85), and rate of readmission with further hemorrhage ( P = 0.92).

Conclusion:

Hydrogen peroxide mouthwash does not improve the outcome of secondary post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage in pediatric patients.

Significance:

This study does not support the common practice of treating post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage with H2O2.