Post-tonsillectomy and -adenoidectomy hemorrhage in nonselected patients

Is it possible to predict post-adenotonsillectomy hemorrhage in children with preoperative blood tests? Single-center retrospective study

Introduction: Post-adenotonsillectomy (PAT) bleeding, a life-threatening surgical complication, remains unpredictable despite preoperative blood tests. Every surgeon would like predictive markers for this complication of one of the most common procedures performed in pediatric ear, nose, and throat (ENT). Objective: The purpose of the study is to see whether the results of the blood tests we perform routinely preoperatively in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy (AT) (lymphocyte count and percentage, C reactive protein, fibrinogen, or coagulation variables International Normalized Ratio and activated partial thromboplastin time) can potentially predict early post-AT bleeding. Focus has been placed on the presence of relative lymphocytosis (a value of lymphocyte percentage above 55%) in the blood cell count of the patients and its possible connection to postoperative hemorrhage. Method: We conducted an observational retrospective study on 801 children undergoing adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, or AT over a period of 6 months in our ENT department. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the data. Results: we did not find a statistically significant correlation between preoperative blood markers (coagulation or inflammatory) and early post-AT bleeding. An important blood marker in relation to PAT bleeding appears to be relative lymphocytosis. Relative lymphocytosis has a weak predictive value of early postoperative bleeding in children with AT (sensitivity of only 31.58%, but acceptable specificity of above 80%). In other words, 80% of patients without relative lymphocytosis will not bleed in the first 24 h postoperatively. Children with relative lymphocytosis may need tighter surveillance in the first 24 h after AT. Conclusions: Relative lymphocytosis has a weak predictive value of early postoperative bleeding in children with AT children.

Effect of hot saline pack versus topical tranexamic acid in post adenoidectomy bleeding

Background

Adenoidectomy is a popular surgical technique in the field of otolaryngology that is successful, safe, and effective. Diffuse microvascular post-adenoidectomy bleeding, on the other hand, is still a common concern.

Aim

The objective of this study is to do a comparison between the efficacy of a hot saline pack versus topical tranexamic acid when administered topically in children who have had only adenoidectomy in terms of intra-operative blood loss and post-operative bleeding.

Methods

This prospective case-control study contained a total of 180 patients, divided into three classes. Class A: This included 60 patients with application of a hot saline pack in control of intra-operative adenoidectomy bleeding. Class B: This included 60 patients with application of a topical tranexamic acid pack in control of intra-operative adenoidectomy bleeding. Class C: This included 60 patients with the use of a pack to hold intra-operative adenoidectomy bleeding

Results

The mean intraoperative blood loss in class B was lower than classes A and C, the mean pre- and post-operative HB level was lower in class C than in classes A and B, the difference was statistically considerable between the three classes, comparison between classes showed statistically considerable differences between classes A and C and also between classes B and C, while there was a statistically non-considerable difference between classes A and B.

Conclusion

The current study found that a topical tranexamic acid pack was more effective for post-adenoidectomy haemostasis than a hot saline pack, with a shorter time to haemostasis and fewer recurettage and electrocauterization procedures.

Trial registration

Name of registration trial: Research ethics committee faculty of medicine Benha university. Registration number: Ms1-1-2020. Date of registration: 22-1-2021.

What is the most appropriate hemostatic material during pediatric adenoidectomy? A prospective comparative randomized double-blinded controlled study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effect of different hemostatic materials used in adenoidectomy operations to improve the quality of life with the most negligible hazardous impact on pediatric health.

STUDY DESIGN

a prospective, case-series, randomized, controlled, double-blinded study.

SETTING

All adenoidectomy surgeries were performed between September 2016 to December 2019 at tertiary referral institutions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

519 patients were included in five groups. Adenoidectomy was performed under general anesthesia, with the following hemostatic procedures: adrenaline, tranexamic acid, hydrogen peroxide, xylometazoline, and saline (as a control group). The five groups were compared regarding the intraoperative blood loss, surgery duration, need for more hemostatic steps, postoperative reactionary and secondary bleedings, postoperative pain and halitosis, and one-year outcome.

RESULTS

The four procedures were effective in reducing the blood loss by 19.86%, 11.7%, 30.95%, and 18.91%, respectively, in comparison to the control group. The surgical duration was reduced by 27.65%, 17.86%, 48.11%, and 23.88%, respectively. The need for other hemostatic steps was the least in the hydrogen peroxide group. There was no significant difference between the five groups regarding reactionary bleeding, secondary bleeding, one-week pain, one-month pain, one-month halitosis, and one-year complications. On the other side, hydrogen peroxide had the least one-week halitosis and first-day pain among the five groups. Also, it had the least intraoperative blood loss and surgery duration.

CONCLUSIONS

Hydrogen peroxide showed to be the best choice to control hemostasis during an adenoidectomy. It can decrease blood loss and surgery duration with less need for other hemostatic steps. It can improve the patient's quality of life without significant postoperative complications. Xylometazoline was studied for the first time as a hemostatic material during adenoidectomy with good satisfying results.

A National Analysis of Inpatient Pediatric Adenoidectomy

OBJECTIVE

Hospital admission following pediatric adenoidectomy without tonsillectomy is not well characterized. The objective of our study is to better characterize risk factors for post-operative complications in younger children undergoing inpatient adenoidectomy.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis using data derived from the Kid's Inpatient Database (KID) was performed. Study participants included children <3 years of age who underwent an adenoidectomy and were admitted to hospitals participating in the KID for years 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2012. Descriptive statistical analysis and a multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to identify risk factors for post-operative complication.

RESULTS

A total of 3406 children (mean age 1.1 ± 0.7 years) were included. The overall post-operative bleeding and respiratory complication rates were 0.6% and 5.4%, respectively. Children less than 18 months of age demonstrated increased rates of post-operative respiratory complications (P = .009), but not bleeding complications (P = .857). Presence of cardiopulmonary congenital malformations (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.07-2.20), chronic respiratory disease of the newborn (OR 5.03, 95% CI 2.86-8.85), and neuromuscular disorders (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.09-3.57) were associated with post-operative respiratory distress.

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis of a national dataset suggests that otherwise healthy children less than 18 months of age and children 18 months to 3 years of age with certain comorbidities may benefit from overnight observation following adenoidectomy.

Risk Factors for Postoperative Bleeding after Adenoidectomy

IMPORTANCE: Postoperative bleeding is a common and potentially life-threatening complication. Precise identification of risk factors in addition to the basic ones, such as coagulation parameters, is certainly very desirable. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify other possible risk factors for bleeding after adenoidectomy in children. DESIGN: This observational prospective study enrolled children undergoing adenoidectomy from October 2019 to February 2020, then evaluated the influence of possible risk factors for bleeding. SETTING: Tertiary pediatric otorhinolaryngology center. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 288 children aged 0–18 years undergoing adenoidectomy for recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, recurrent acute otitis media, secretory otitis media, and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Increased blood pressure and time of surgery were identified as risk factors for bleeding after adenoidectomy. RESULTS: Elevated systolic (p = 0.046), diastolic (p = 0.012), and mean arterial blood pressure (p = 0.007) (Mann–Whitney U test) as adjusted for age-specific distributions and with corrections for height and weight, as well as time length of surgery (p < 0.001) (Fisher’s exact test) were revealed as statistically significant risk factors for postoperative bleeding. Atmospheric pressure, surgeon’s level of experiences, chronic inflammatory content in adenoid vegetation (AV), size of AV, recidivism of AV, recurrent infections of the upper respiratory tract, type of anesthesia, long-term using of drugs, and positive coagulation questionnaire or pathology in standard coagulation tests were not found to be risk factors for bleeding after adenoidectomy. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this prospective study within a well-defined population of children, we evaluated increased blood pressure and time of surgery as risk factors for bleeding after adenoidectomy. These data bring new information that complements current knowledge in this field.

Hot nasal packing with hot saline irrigation for hemostasis after adenoidectomy: A prospective randomized controlled study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of hot posterior nasal packing and hot saline irrigation in bleeding control after adenoidectomy.

METHODS

A total of 130 patients scheduled for adenoidectomy were included in the study, and randomized into two groups at the beginning of the surgical operation. After adenoidectomy, saline impregnated tampon, and saline irrigation at room temperature (22 °C) was applied to the patients in one group while 50 °C saline impregnated tampon and saline irrigation at the same temperature were applied to the patients in the other group. We recorded hemostasis for up to 3 min after tamponade for bleeding control, and the amount of bleeding into the nasopharynx.

RESULTS

The age of the patients ranged from 1.5 to 13 years (mean ± SD: 6.07 ± 3.08 years, and 5.33 ± 2.55 years, 22 °C and 50 °C saline irrigation groups, respectively). There were 37 males and 28 females in the 22 °C saline group, while 34 males and 31 females in the 50 °C saline group. When comparing the two groups, there was no statistically significant difference in terms of duration of hemostasis (p = 0.64). However, bleeding scores at 2 nd min after the tamponade were significantly lower in the 50 °C saline group (p = 0.007). The amount of bleeding in the 50 °C saline group was also significantly lower than the 22 °C saline group (p = 0.015).

CONCLUSION

In this study, application of 50 °C saline impregnated tampon, and hot saline irrigation was found to be more effective in the control of bleeding after adenoidectomy by reducing the amount of bleeding compared to 22 °C saline impregnated tampon application and saline irrigation at 22 °C. However, hot nasal packing and hot saline irrigation did not affect duration of hemostasis and cauterization.

Pediatric adenoidectomy in the very young child and indications for postoperative inpatient admission

OBJECTIVES

To determine the rate of significant respiratory events following adenoidectomy in young patients and to identify factors that would prompt inpatient admission postoperatively.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed of consecutive adenoidectomy surgeries at a high-volume, tertiary-care children's hospital between 2016 and 2018. Children under 3.5 years of age who had surgery for obstructive symptoms were included. Patients were grouped by age (youngest ≤1.5 years, middle 1.6-2.5 years, and oldest 2.6-3.5 years). We excluded patients having revision surgery, a concomitant tonsillectomy, or additional major surgical procedure.

RESULTS

There were 353 patients that met inclusion criteria. The three age groups were similar with respect to all characteristics except age (p < .001), body mass index (p < .001), and percentage of Black or African American children (p = .02). Patients under 1.5 years more often had preoperative polysomnography (p = .02) with a lower oxygen saturation nadir (p = .04), and were more likely to have surgery for obstructive sleep apnea (p < .001). No differences were found between age groups with respect to recovery room issues, nurse triage calls, or readmissions within 30 days of surgery. An elective admission rate in the cohort was 35.1%, and this was age-group dependent with 79.5% of the youngest group being admitted (p < .001). On admission, 16.9% of all patients had admission events requiring positive pressure support, intensive care unit admission, or prolonged hospitalization, which was similar across all age groups (p = .67). Events were more common in younger patients (17 mos. vs 20 mos., p = .07), those with more comorbidities (74.8% vs 51.5%, p = .06) and significantly higher in those with severe preoperative polysomnogram variables (p < .001). Based on multivariate regression analysis, younger children (OR: 13.7, 95% CI: 6.5 - 29.0, p < .001) or children with an AHI over 5 events/hr (OR: 32.3, 95% CI: 3.4 - 303.2, p = .005) were more likely to have significant events on admission.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant respiratory events are uncommon after adenoidectomy for obstructive symptoms, even in very young children. However, for children under 1.5 years of age or those with AHI scores above 5 events/hr, postoperative admission for monitoring is recommended. Clinical judgement should be used when considering outpatient surgery for older children or those with comorbidities.

The Hemostatic Efficacy of Hydrogen Peroxide Irrigation to Control Intraoperative Bleeding in Adenoidectomy

Objective

Although adenoidectomy is generally accepted as a safe procedure, intraoperative hemorrhage is still the most common and potentially life-threating complication, especially in pediatric patients. We evaluated the clinical effect of intraoperative hydrogen peroxide irrigation with respect to hemostasis and operation times in pediatric adenoidectomy.

Methods

This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind study to investigate hydrogen peroxide solution in hemostasis in pediatric patients undergoing adenoidectomy. The patient, the surgeon, and the study nurse were blinded to the surgical technique used.

Results

One hundred seventeen (56 males and 61 females) consecutive pediatric patients with a mean age of 5.46±1.19 years were included in the study. There were 58 patients in the hydrogen peroxide group (median age: 6 years, mean age: 5.62±1.28 years) and 59 patients in the control group (median age: 5 years, mean age: 5.31±1.07 years). No significant difference was observed between the two groups with respect to age (p=0.151), gender (p=0.646), or adenoid size (p=0.767). On the other hand, the difference between the groups with respect to operation and hemostasis times was found to be statistically significant (p<0.001 for both). The average operation times were 8.67±0.48 min in the hydrogen peroxide group and 12.30±0.69 min in the control group. The average hemostasis times were 3.67±0.27 min in the hydrogen peroxide group and 5.73±0.31 min in the control group.

Conclusion

Hydrogen peroxide solution can be effectively used in adenoidectomy for reducing intraoperative blood loss and for economic benefits.

Risks and benefits of local anesthesia versus general anesthesia in tonsillectomy

PURPOSE

Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures in otorhinolaryngology. Modern general anesthetic techniques have reduced surgical risks, but performing the procedure under local anesthesia may still offer significant benefit for both the patient and surgeon. This study analyzed the risks and benefits of performing tonsillectomies under local anesthesia.

METHODS

This is a retrospective longitudinal cohort study analyzing postoperative bleeding rates as a primary outcome measure. Secondary outcome measures were duration of surgery, consumption of analgesics and total surgery cost.

RESULTS

The study enrolled 1112 patients undergoing tonsillectomy, with 462 (41.5%) patients treated under general and 650 (58.5%) patients treated under local anesthesia. There were 12 postoperative bleeding incidents in in the local anesthesia group and 9 cases of postoperative bleeding in the general anesthesia group. No significant differences based on gender regarding quantity of intraoperative bleeding or patient age were observed between the patients undergoing local versus general anesthesia. However, significant differences were noted between the groups in analgesic consumption, (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.001), duration of operating room stay (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.001), duration of surgery (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.001) and cost of surgery (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of postoperative bleeding is not dependent on type of anesthesia. The results suggest that tonsillectomy performed under local anesthesia is a safe alternative to tonsillectomy under general anesthesia, with significant reduction of cost and duration of surgery.

Successful treatment of recurrent immunoglobulin a nephropathy using steroid pulse therapy plus tonsillectomy 10 years after kidney transplantation: a case presentation

Background

Both prevention and treatment of recurrent immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) in kidney transplant recipients are important since recurrent IgAN seems to affect long-term graft survival. We present here a case of recurrent IgAN that was successfully treated using steroid pulse therapy plus tonsillectomy 10 years after kidney transplantation.

Case presentation

A 46-year-old male was admitted for an episode biopsy with a serum creatinine level of 1.8 mg/dl and proteinuria (0.7 g/day). Histological features showed recurrent IgAN (only focal segmental mesangial proliferation) and severe arteriolar hyalinosis partly associated with calcineurin inhibitor toxicity, with limited interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (5%) (IF/TA) 8 years after transplantation. Sodium restriction and conversion from cyclosporine to tacrolimus successfully reduced his proteinuria to the level of 0.15 g/day. However, 2 years later, his proteinuria increased again (1.0 g/day) and a second episode biopsy showed global mesangial proliferation with glomerular endocapillary and extracapillary proliferation accompanied by progressive IF/TA (20%). The steroid pulse therapy plus tonsillectomy successfully decreased his proteinuria and he achieved clinical remission 3 years after this treatment.

Conclusion

This case, presented with a review of relevant literature, demonstrates the difficulty and importance of the treatment of recurrent IgAN and calcineurin inhibitor arteriolopathy, especially in long-term kidney allograft management.

Outcomes of adenoidectomy-alone in patients less than 3-years old

OBJECTIVES

1. Determine the percentage of patients under the age of 3 undergoing adenoidectomy-alone who require subsequent management of residual sleep disordered breathing (SDB).2. Characterize complications following adenoidectomy and determine if any perioperative factors are associated with intra-operative or post-operative complications and outcomes.

METHODS

Case series with chart review was conducted including children seen at a tertiary care children's hospital between 2008 and 2012. Consecutive patients under the age of 3 who underwent adenoidectomy-alone were identified by billing codes. After excluding those with syndromes, partial adenoidectomies, and those without follow-up, 148 patients were included. Predictors of requiring additional surgery for SDB were evaluated using log-rank tests or Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS

Median age at time of initial adenoidectomy was 27.5 months (range 11-36 months) and the patient population was comprised of 66.2% males (n = 98/148) and 89.2% Caucasians (n = 132/148). 56.5% (n = 74/131) of patients continued to have residual symptoms of SDB and 34.5% (n = 51/148) underwent additional surgical intervention. Multivariable survival analysis revealed GERD (HR, 6.21; CI, 1.29-29.77, p = .022) and tonsil size (HR, 4.07; CI, 1.57-10.51, p = .004) were significant predictors of additional surgery in this group of patients under the age of 3. There was no observed difference in intra- and post-operative complication rates between patients with and without additional operative intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Residual SDB symptoms following adenoidectomy in patients less than 3 years of age are common and require additional surgery at a high rate. Medical comorbidities such as GERD and large tonsil size may help predict the need for additional surgery.

Tonsillectomy or tonsillotomy? A systematic review for paediatric sleep-disordered breathing

BACKGROUND

Recent evidence has challenged the practice of tonsillectomy in children with sleep-disordered breathing. Tonsillotomy (subtotal/partial/intracapsular tonsillectomy) has been proposed as an alternative with equivalent effectiveness and decreased post-operative morbidity, thus improving cost-effectiveness.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the literature comparing clinical efficacy, post-operative morbidity, and cost-effectiveness of tonsillotomy and tonsillectomy in paediatric (<16yo) patients with sleep-disordered breathing.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL (1984-July 2014) was conducted. Papers in English directly comparing post-operative outcomes in tonsillectomy and tonsillotomy in children undergoing surgery for sleep-disordered breathing were included.

REVIEW METHODS

Two authors independently assessed abstracts for relevance, with disagreements resolved by a third author. Selected studies were independently assessed regarding inclusion and exclusion criteria.

RESULTS

Thirty-two studies satisfied inclusion and exclusion criteria (19 randomised, 13 non-randomised). Patient satisfaction, quality-of-life, and polysomnographic improvement post-surgery did not vary between tonsillotomy and tonsillectomy. Tonsillotomy reduced the odds of a secondary haemorrhage by 79% (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.17-0.27, p < 0.01), decreased post-operative pain and reduced return to normal oral intake by 2.8 days (95% CI 1.08-4.52, p < 0.01). The odds of readmission were decreased by 62% (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.23-0.60, p < 0.01). Tonsillotomy had a slightly higher rate of symptom recurrence (4.51%) than tonsillectomy (2.55%), the long-term impact of which was unclear.

CONCLUSION

Current evidence supports tonsillotomy in children with obstructive surgical indications. It is likely to reduce post-operative haemorrhage, pain, and facilitate a faster return to normal diet and activity. Healthcare burden is decreased due to fewer post-operative complications and reduced need for medical re-contact. More research is necessary to assess the risk of recurrence, and further classification of secondary haemorrhage severity is required to fully clarify the clinical benefit of tonsillotomy.

Postoperative Bleeding and Associated Utilization following Tonsillectomy in Children

Objective To assess posttonsillectomy hemorrhage (PTH), associated nonoperative readmissions/revisits, and reoperations in children. Data Sources MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. Review Methods Two investigators independently screened studies against predetermined criteria and extracted key data. Investigators independently assessed study risk of bias and the strength of the evidence of the body of literature. We calculated unadjusted pooled estimates of PTH frequency and conducted a Bayesian meta-analysis to estimate frequency of primary and secondary PTH and PTH-associated reoperation and revisits/readmissions by partial and total tonsillectomy and surgical approach. Results In meta-analysis, the frequency of primary and secondary PTH associated with total and partial tonsillectomy was <4% for any technique and with overlapping confidence bounds. Pooled frequencies of PTH were also <5% overall (4.2% for total tonsillectomy, 1.5% for partial tonsillectomy) in comparative studies. Fewer PTH episodes occurred with tonsillectomy for obstructive sleep-disordered breathing than for throat infection. In meta-analysis, frequency of PTH-associated nonoperative revisits/readmission or reoperation ranged from 0.2% to 5.7% for total tonsillectomy and from 0.1% to 3.7% for partial tonsillectomy. At least 4 deaths were reported in case series including 1,778,342 children. Conclusions PTH occurred in roughly 4% of tonsillectomies in studies included in this review. Although studies typically did not report bleeding severity or amount, relatively few episodes of PTH necessitated reoperation for hemostasis. Nonetheless, tonsillectomy is not without risk of harm. Frequency of PTH across techniques was similar; thus, we cannot conclude that a given technique is superior.

Cost-Effectiveness of Tonsillectomy for Recurrent Acute Tonsillitis

Objectives:

We used a retrospective case series to perform a preliminary study to determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of tonsillectomy for recurrent acute tonsillitis.

Methods:

We studied 25 children and 16 adults who had tonsillectomy for recurrent acute tonsillitis. The adult patients and the children's caregivers were asked to respond to a questionnaire regarding the efficacy of their tonsillectomy. The cost of medical care and the work disability cost for tonsillitis and for tonsillectomy were calculated. We then applied the technique of break-even time analysis to assess when the total health care cost savings from surgery overtook the total cost of tonsillectomy.

Results:

In children, the overall economic costs (medical costs and work-related costs) were recovered at 1.6 years after tonsillectomy (break-even point). In adults, the overall economic costs (medical costs and work-related costs) were recovered at 2.5 years after tonsillectomy (break-even point).

Conclusions:

Tonsillectomy for recurrent acute tonsillitis is both clinically effective and cost-effective for children and adults in Japan.

Hemorrhage following Coblation Tonsillectomy

Objectives:

We performed a prospective study to evaluate the incidence of post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage (PTH) in adults and children who underwent Coblation tonsillectomy (CTE) under general anesthesia.

Methods:

The data of 63 adults and children (mean age, 21.8 years) were analyzed.

Results:

There were 7 episodes of considerable bleeding (11.1%) that required surgical treatment under general anesthesia in 6 patients, of whom 5 experienced secondary bleeding (>24 hours). Moreover, bleeding and massive swelling of the pharynx required surgical treatment and prolonged intubation (35 hours) in 1 patient. None of the patients received blood transfusions. There was no case with a lethal outcome. Less intense bleeding (clots; blood-tinged sputum) was observed in 17 patients (27%) who required readmission or prolonged inpatient observation, 1 of whom had previously undergone surgical treatment of PTH. However, these 17 patients had an uneventful clinical course. In total, 22 patients experienced minor or major forms of PTH (34.9%).

Conclusions:

At least in our hands, CTE dramatically increased the frequency of PTH. The high rate of secondary bleeding contrasts with our documented experience using conventional methods, ie, cold dissection and suture ligation, to achieve hemostasis (7.9% with CTE versus <0.8% with conventional methods). Therefore, at our institution, tonsillectomy with conventional instruments remains the method of choice.

Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial of a Novel Matrix Hemostatic Sealant in Children Undergoing Adenoidectomy

PROBLEM ADDRESSED: Floseal is a novel matrix hemostatic sealant composed of collagen-derived particles and topical bovine-derived thrombin. It is applied as a high-viscosity gel for hemostasis and has been clinically proven to control bleeding. This study is a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial of Floseal sealant compared to traditional suction cautery hemostasis in children undergoing adenoidectomy.

METHODS AND MEASURES: Seventy patients (mean age 7.0 yrs, 45.7% male) with obstructive sleep apnea underwent traditional cold steel adenoidectomy with an adenoid curette and were then randomized to receive the hemostatic sealant (Floseal) or cautery to obtain hemostasis. Patients were crossed over to the other hemostatic technique if hemostasis was not achieved after more than 100 mL of blood loss or 15 minutes elapsed time. Objective data collected included time to hemostasis and blood loss during hemostasis. Visual analog scales (VAS) were used to record subjective data by the operating surgeon including bleeding following adenoid pack removal (0 = none, 3 = brisk) and ease of operation (1 = extremely easy, 6 = extremely difficult). Parents recorded diet on a journal and were contacted by phone at postoperative day 7 and questioned with regard to return to regular diet and use of narcotics.

RESULTS: Compared to patients in the cautery group (n = 35), Floseal patients (n = 35) had significantly shorter times to hemostasis (0.6 ± 1.3 minutes vs 9.5 ± 5.4 minutes (mean ± SD), P < 0.001), less blood loss (2.5 ± 9.2 mL vs 29.4 ± 27.1 mL, P < 0.001), less subjective bleeding (0.0 ± 0.6 vs 2.0 ± 0.7, (median 4-point VAS ± SD), P < 0.001), and subjectively easier operations (2.6 ± 1.0 vs 5.2 ± 1.0 (mean 6-point VAS ± SD), P < 0.001). Furthermore, Floseal patients returned to regular diet earlier (2.7 ± 0.7 vs 4.1 ± 0.5 days (mean ± SD), P < 0.001) and had less use of narcotics at 7 days postoperatively (40% vs 69%, P < 0.05). Lastly, three patients in the cautery group were crossed over to the Floseal group, but no Floseal subjects were crossed over to the cautery group. The retail cost of Floseal is $85. Operating room costs are estimated at $12/minute. Reducing the operative length by 8.9 minutes on average produces a cost savings of $106.80 per operation. There were no complications in either experimental group including postoperative hemorrhage, hospitalization, blood transfusion, or aspiration.

CONCLUSIONS: Floseal matrix hemostatic sealant is a safe, efficacious, easy, and cost-effective technique for obtaining hemostasis in children undergoing adenoidectomy. Limitations of the study include the fact that it is nonblinded, which does allow for some bias in the subjective data recorded. However, utilizing 4 different operating surgeons, 3 of whom were not affiliated with the study, minimized this.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY: This study demonstrates the safety and efficacy of a novel hemostatic sealant in children undergoing adenoidectomy. Floseal matrix hemostatic sealant can be used as a first-line hemostatic agent, and it is a good tool in the armamentarium of otolaryngologists who encounter significant bleeding following adenoidectomy.

Increased immediate postoperative hemorrhage in older and obese children after outpatient tonsillectomy

INTRODUCTION

Postoperative hemorrhage is one of the serious complications of adenotonsillar surgery. This study seeks to investigate the relationship between post-tonsillectomy/adenotonsillectomy hemorrhage in the pediatric population and obesity, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH), chronic tonsillitis (CT), and peritonsillar abscess (PTA) in the immediate post-operative setting.

METHODS

The California Ambulatory Surgery Data for the years 2005-2011 were reviewed. The records of patients aged less than 18 years undergoing tonsillectomy (T) or adenotonsillectomy (AT) were extracted using relevant ICD-9 diagnosis codes. The association between hemorrhage and obesity, OSA, AH, CT, PTA, and patients' demographics among surgeries performed in the outpatient setting was evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 138,998 procedures, 22,478 Ts and 116,520 ATs, were performed during 2005-2011, of which 3.0% were performed on obese children. Hemorrhage occurred in 156 cases (0.1%), and was associated with an age from 9 to 18 years (p=0.01), and obesity (p=0.02). There was no association between hemorrhage and gender (p=0.8), OSA (p=0.6), ATH (p=0.5), CT (p=0.35), PTA (p=0.47), or T versus AT (p=0.3). Multivariate analysis revealed that hemorrhage was about 2.3 times more likely to occur in obese children (odds ratio [OR]=2.3; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.1-5.1; p=0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity and older age are associated with an increased risk of immediate post-operative hemorrhage following tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy in the outpatient setting. Gender, OSA, ATH, CT, PTA, and T versus AT did not alter the risk of post-operative hemorrhage.

Effect of tonsillectomy on psoriasis: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Streptococcal infection is associated with psoriasis onset in some patients. Whether tonsillectomy decreases psoriasis symptoms requires a systematic review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine whether tonsillectomy reduces psoriasis severity through a comprehensive search of over 50 years of literature.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane, EMBASE, Web of Science, and OVID databases (from August 1, 1960, to September 12, 2013) and performed a manual search of selected references. We identified observational studies and clinical trials examining psoriasis after tonsillectomy.

RESULTS

We included data from 20 articles from the last 53 years with 545 patients with psoriasis who were evaluated for or underwent tonsillectomy. Of 410 reported cases of patients with psoriasis who underwent tonsillectomy, 290 experienced improvement in their psoriasis. Although some patients who underwent tonsillectomy experienced sustained improvement in psoriasis, others experienced psoriasis relapse after the procedure.

LIMITATIONS

Fifteen of 20 publications were case reports or series that lacked control groups. Publication bias favoring reporting improved cases needs to be considered.

CONCLUSION

Tonsillectomy may be a potential option for patients with recalcitrant psoriasis associated with episodes of tonsillitis. Studies with long-term follow-up are warranted to determine more clearly the extent and persistence of benefit of tonsillectomy in psoriasis.

Tonsillectomy as a treatment for psoriasis: a review

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder that affects 1% to 3% of the general population worldwide. Streptococcal infection, especially streptococcal pharyngitis, has been shown to be a significant trigger of psoriasis in some patients, possibly by sensitizing T cells to keratin epitopes in the skin. Due to the role of the palatine tonsils as an immunological organ that may generate autoreactive T cells, tonsillectomy has been investigated as a treatment for psoriasis. Tonsillectomy originally gained acceptance in Japan as a treatment for palmoplantar pustulosis, a condition that shares features with pustular psoriasis. Subsequently, tonsillectomy has been used for the treatment of plaque psoriasis and guttate psoriasis. Recently, the first randomized, controlled clinical trial of tonsillectomy was performed. Here, we review the available evidence for the benefit of tonsillectomy as a treatment for palmoplantar pustulosis and psoriasis. We also discuss molecular studies aimed at understanding the role of tonsils in skin disease.

Role of subtotal tonsillectomy (‘tonsillotomy’) in children with sleep disordered breathing

Introduction:

Sleep disordered breathing in children causes disturbance in behaviour and also in cardiorespiratory and neurocognitive function. Subtotal tonsillectomy (‘tonsillotomy’) has been performed to treat sleep disordered breathing, with outcomes comparable to established therapies such as total tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. This review critically assesses the role of subtotal tonsillectomy in a paediatric setting.

Method:

The Medline database (1966 to October 2012) was electronically searched using key terms including subtotal or intracapsular tonsillectomy, tonsillotomy, tonsillectomy, paediatrics, and sleep disordered breathing.

Results:

Eighteen papers were identified and reviewed. Subtotal tonsillectomy would appear to have an efficacy equal to that of total tonsillectomy for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, and has significant benefits in reducing post-operative pain and analgesia use. Subtotal tonsillectomy patients appear to have less frequent post-operative haemorrhage compared with total tonsillectomy patients.

Conclusion:

In children, subtotal tonsillectomy is associated with fewer post-operative complications whilst having a comparable effect in improving sleep disordered breathing, compared with total tonsillectomy.

Topical application of tranexamic acid after adenoidectomy: a double-blind, prospective, randomized, controlled study

OBJECTIVE

Is to evaluate the efficacy of tranexamic acid when applied locally in children after primary isolated adenoidectomy with respect to intra-operative blood loss and post-operative bleeding.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial.

SETTING

Otolaryngology department, Tanta University and Tiba Hospitals, Egypt.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Over three years, 400 children underwent primary isolated adenoidectomy followed by topical application of tranexamic acid (tranexamic acid group, 200 children) or saline (Placebo group, 200 children) with at least two weeks' follow up. Intra-operative blood loss and post-operative hemorrhage were monitored.

RESULTS

Both groups were almost equivalent in age and gender. The frequency of primary post-adenoidectomy hemorrhage as well as the rate of postnasal packing and blood transfusion required to manage severe bleeding were higher in placebo group. The volume of blood loss during surgery showed significant reduction in tranexamic acid group.

CONCLUSION

Topical application of tranexamic acid after adenoidectomy led to a significant reduction in blood loss during surgery and decreasing in the rate of post-operative bleeding as well as the need for postnasal packing and blood transfusion.

[Bleeding and coagulation disorders in tonsillectomies]

BACKGROUND

The aim of our prospective analysis was to show the incidence of bleeding disorders among a tonsillectomy patient population and in case of bleeding disorders.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study comprised 92 consecutive patients who underwent tonsillectomies from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2007 at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Mainz. In addition to gender, age, date of bleeding, Quick, aPTT and platelet count, the following blood values were determined: vWF:AG, vWF:RCo, vWF:RCo/vWF:AG, factor XIII, factor VIII:C, PFA 100™ ADP and PFA 100™ epinephrine (special coagulation analysis).

RESULTS

Twelve of 92 patients (13%) showed evidence of coagulopathy. Four of these 12 patients had a postoperative hemorrhage. In eight patients a factor XIII deficiency was diagnosed, with two of them suffering a hemorrhage. In four patients, von Willebrand disease was diagnosed; two of them bled. No correlation between the presence of a coagulopathy and the bleeding rate could be determined.

CONCLUSION

Routine preoperative performance of special coagulation analysis in all patients does not significantly contribute to the detection of increased postoperative hemorrhage risk.

Anesthetic management of the pediatric bleeding tonsil

BACKGROUND

Anesthetic management of the child with post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage is challenging and fraught with hazards such as anemia, hypovolemia, and risk of difficult airway. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to determine the incidence and further define the anesthetic complications in this population.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of all children who underwent operative intervention for post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage (with or without adenoidectomy) from 1998 to 2005 at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Anesthetic records were examined for independent (anesthetic techniques and patient characteristics) and dependent variables (ventilatory and hemodynamic complications).

RESULTS

Four hundred and seventy-five patients required surgery for exploration of post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage (incidence 2.9%). Intravenous rapid sequence induction was used in 401 (84.4%) patients. Succinylcholine was used in 420 (88%) patients. The most common adverse event (9.9%) was hypoxemia; most episodes occurred during emergence or extubation. Bradycardia during anesthetic induction occurred in 20 (4.2%) patients, and hypotension was noted in 12 (2.5%) patients. Thirteen (2.7%) patients were noted to be difficult to intubate, none of whom were difficult to intubate during the initial tonsillectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

We determined our incidence of ventilatory and hemodynamic complications in a relatively large cohort of children with post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage. Transient hypoxemia was the most common complication and was not related to difficult intubation.

Comparison of adenoidectomy methods: examining with digital palpation vs. visualizing the placement of the curette

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of adenoidectomy by defining the remnant volume and localization in nasopharynx, following being satisfied with completeness of removal of the adenoid tissue with digital palpation.

METHODS

A prospective study conducted on 99 patients undergoing adenoidectomy+/-tonsillectomy. The main mass of the patient's adenoid tissue was removed with a sharp adenoid curette without visualization and the surgeon was allowed to palpate the adenoid bed and repeat the curettage until satisfied with completeness of removal. Then nasopharynx was visualized with a laryngeal mirror for defining the anatomical localization of the residual adenoid tissue and curettage completed under indirect mirror visualization. The volumes of the adenoid tissue excised at both stages were measured.

RESULTS

By blunt curettage and digital palpation, only 20.2% of the patients (20) had no residual adenoid tissue. In patients who had residual adenoid tissue, the proportion of the median percentage of residual adenoid tissue to total adenoid tissue was 19.98% (range 3.22-50%). The anatomical localization of the residual adenoid tissue were, along the torus tubarius on either side of the nasopharynx in 9 (11.4%), on the pharyngeal roof near choanal openings in 64 (81%), along the torus tubarius on either side of the nasopharynx+on the pharyngeal roof near choanal openings in 5 (6.3%), and on the pharyngeal roof near choanal openings+on the posterior wall of nasopharynx in 1 (1.3%) patients. There was no difference found among surgeons in the percentage and the location of the residue left (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Digital palpation is not a dependable technique and visualization of the nasopharynx is crucial for a complete adenoidectomy.

Post-tonsillectomy late haemorrhage: is it a preferably night-time event?

AIM

To evaluate the relationship between the incidence of late post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage and its prevalence in a definite period of the day.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

This retrospective study was carried out in the Ear Nose Throat (ENT) Unit of Giannina Gaslini Institute, Genoa, Italy on children operated for adenotonsillectomy (AT) or tonsillectomy (T) between January 2003 and February 2008. We considered in the study all the post-tonsillectomy late haemorrhages irrespective of their severity and for each case we evaluated whether they recurred in the day-time (B) (between 9.00 a.m. and 9.00 p.m.) or in the night-time (A) (between 9.00 p.m. and 9.00 a.m.). Finally we considered the number of haemorrhages per hour in the whole day.

RESULTS

Out of 3306 patients undergoing elective adenotonsillectomy or tonsillectomy, post-operative late haemorrhage occurred in 59 (1.78%). We noted that 42 episodes (71.2%) occurred in the night-time and 17 (28.8%) in the day-time. The average time from the operation was 8.4 days. A statistically significant difference (p=0.002) was found when comparing the frequencies of night-time and day-time haemorrhages. We did not observe any significant difference in the distribution per hour of the haemorrhages.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of post-tonsillectomy late haemorrhage in our study population was 1.78%. A statistically significant difference was found between night-time and day-time haemorrhages. Even though no significant distribution of haemorrhages per hour was observed, we underline that we recorded 32 (54.2%) events in 2 periods of the day: from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. and from 6 to 9 a.m.

Adenotonsillectomy in the context of obstructive sleep apnoea

Adenotonsillectomy (T&A) is a common surgical procedure. Its frequency is highest in the paediatric age range and its most common current indication is obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Sleep studies are used to document the presence and severity of OSA. This review will focus on indications for and complications of T&A in the context of the age range and setting where this surgery is undertaken for OSA in children.

Harmonic Scalpel Tonsillectomy Using the Curved Shears Instrument versus Cold Dissection Tonsillectomy: A Retrospective Study

Objectives:

We compared operating time, intraoperative blood loss, and rate of postoperative bleeding in harmonic scalpel (HS) tonsillectomy using the curved shears instrument to those in cold dissection (CD) tonsillectomy.

Methods:

The charts of 560 patients who underwent tonsillectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Three hundred nineteen patients underwent CD tonsillectomy between the years 1998 and 1999, and 241 patients underwent HS tonsillectomy using the curved shears instrument between the years 2001 and 2005. For the purpose of evaluation of postoperative bleeding rates, the groups were further stratified by age (11 years of age or less versus 12 years of age or more).

Results:

For the HS group, the mean operating time was shorter (7 minutes versus 17.57 minutes) and the intraoperative blood loss was lower (0 mL versus 42.12 mL). These differences were statistically significant (p < .05). There was no significant difference in the overall postoperative bleeding rates between the two groups. The postoperative bleeding rate in the HS patients 11 years of age or younger was lower than that in the equivalent age group in the CD group (0.56% versus 2%, respectively), although this difference did not reach statistical significance. The postoperative bleeding rate in the HS patients 12 years of age or older was significantly higher than that in the equivalent age group in the CD group (7.93% versus 1%, respectively; p < .05).

Conclusions:

Harmonic scalpel tonsillectomy using the curved shears instrument offers advantages over CD tonsillectomy regarding operating time and intraoperative blood loss. In our patients more than 12 years of age, HS tonsillectomy using the curved shears instrument was associated with an increased postoperative bleeding rate compared to CD tonsillectomy.

Risiko von Blutungen nach Adenotomie und Tonsillektomie

BACKGROUND

Hemorrhage after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy remains a serious complication. Therefore, routine preoperative coagulation screening, including activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombin time (PT) and platelet count (PLC), are regularly performed, also for medicolegal reasons. In the recently published statement of the German Society of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery the need for routine preoperative coagulation screening is discussed, but so far no standardized procedure had been established. According to this statement - at least for children - routine preoperative coagulation screening is not mandatory as long as the thorough medical history provides no evidence for a coagulation disorder ( http://www.hno.org/kollegen/gerinnung_te_ae.html ). The present study was undertaken to determine the occurrence of postoperative hemorrhage on the one hand, and the incidence of abnormal preoperative routine coagulation parameters or pathological anamnesis findings on the other.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In 688 patients, a standardized clinical history was obtained using a questionnaire. Coagulation screening included aPTT, PT, and PLC was also carried out. Bleeding complications were then correlated with anamnesis features and abnormalities in coagulation screening.

RESULTS

In 39 (5.7%) of the 688 patients we found abnormal coagulation values, which were confirmed in repeated analyses. In six of these a detailed analysis revealed occult coagulation disorders requiring correction only in the case of bleeding complications who were previously unknown. Fifteen patients were already known to have a coagulation disorder, and the anamnesis identified no additional patient at risk. Thus, 21 patients with coagulation disorders requiring correction in the case of a bleeding complication underwent surgery. However, only eight (38%) of these showed abnormal routine coagulation parameters. Surgical treatment of postoperative hemorrhage was required in 12 patients, all of whom had normal values for aPTT, PT and PLC.

CONCLUSION

The frequently performed determination of routine coagulation parameters (aPTT, PT, PLC) is not able to reliably identify relevant coagulation disorders or to predict the risk for postoperative hemorrhagic complications after adenoidectomy or tonsillectomy.

Key messages from the National Prospective Tonsillectomy Audit

OBJECTIVES

Investigation of the occurrence of postoperative hemorrhage after tonsillectomy and risk factors for these complications.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective National Audit with electronic web-based data collection from the National Health Service and independent hospitals in England and Northern Ireland.

METHODS

Consenting patients undergoing tonsillectomy between July 2003 and September 2004 were included. A central database of patient and surgical variables was developed for analysis of primary and secondary postoperative hemorrhage and development of risk models for tonsillectomy complications.

RESULTS

The Audit received data from 277 hospitals in England and Northern Ireland on 40,514 patients. Analysis was conducted on 33,921 (84%) who gave consent. Over the whole Audit 1,197 (3.5%) postoperative hemorrhages were recorded. One hundred eighty-eight (0.6%) patients sustained a primary hemorrhage and 1,033 (3%) a secondary hemorrhage (24 had both). Elevated hemorrhage rates were observed in tonsillectomies performed using diathermy for dissection and hemostasis compared with cold steel dissection and ties for hemostasis. National guidance issued midway through the Audit influenced practice and reduced hemorrhage rates. Risk models for postoperative hemorrhage were developed incorporating the effect of the guidance. For hemorrhage, compared with the cold steel group, bipolar diathermy tonsillectomy had an odds ratio of 2.47 (1.81-3.36), P < .0001, and bipolar diathermy scissors tonsillectomy an odds ratio of 3.20 (2.09-4.90), P < .0001. Use of bipolar diathermy for hemostasis only after cold steel dissection carried an intermediate risk, odds ratio 1.57 (1.16-2.13), P = .004.

CONCLUSIONS

The results confirm that "hot" tonsillectomy techniques carry a substantially elevated risk of postoperative hemorrhage when diathermy is used as a dissection tool in tonsillectomy.

Morbidity and mortality of post-tonsillectomy bleeding: analysis of cases

OBJECTIVES

To analyse the circumstances of mortality in post-tonsillectomy bleeding cases, in order to better manage serious problems during resuscitation.

DESIGN

Reports of inquiry committees on post-tonsillectomy mortalities.

SETTING

State of Israel Ministry of Health committees.

PARTICIPANTS

Senior otolaryngologists and related professionals, and the involved medical staff who participated in the inquiry committees.

MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES

Identification of actions causing undesirable effects on resuscitation outcomes.

RESULTS

In recent years, the post-tonsillectomy mortality rate in Israel has been one in 12,000. The two main causes of death have been severe haemorrhagic shock and airway obstruction.

CONCLUSIONS

Active bleeding should be treated, rather than waiting for spontaneous resolution. An efficient airway should be established early during resuscitation, either by intubation (within two minutes) or by cricothyroidotomy. The two main factors endangering the patient's life during resuscitation are severe blood loss, interfering with effective cardiac output, and airway obstruction. Blood loss should be quickly substituted.

Tonsillotomy or tonsillectomy?—a prospective study comparing histological and immunological findings in recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hyperplasia

We evaluated the differences in histological and immunological findings in children with recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hyperplasia and assessed the risk for relapsing tonsillar hyperplasia or recurrent tonsillitis after tonsillotomy in a prospective clinical study. Sixty-four children with recurrent tonsillitis underwent traditional (total) blunt dissection tonsillectomy between October 2003 and July 2004. Partial tonsillectomy (tonsillotomy) using CO(2)-laser technique was performed on 49 children with tonsillar hyperplasia and no history of recurrent tonsillitis between August 2003 and March 2005. The present study compares preoperative serum anti-streptolysin-O antibody and immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgA and IgM), C-reactive protein levels (CRP) and blood leukocyte counts of the two study groups. Additionally the tonsillar tissue removed by tonsillotomy or tonsillectomy was histologically examined in order to determine the grade of hyperplasia, chronic inflammation and fibrosis. Furthermore, the grade of fresh inflammation within the tonsillar crypts of the specimens was analysed. The parents of 40 patients treated by laser tonsillotomy were surveyed in average 16 months. There was no statistically significant difference in preoperative serum anti-streptolysin-O antibody and immunoglobulin levels, C-reactive protein levels and blood leukocyte counts between the two study groups. All specimens showed the histological picture of hyperplasia. There was no statistically significant difference in the grades of hyperplasia between the two study groups. Signs of fresh but mild inflammation within the tonsillar crypts could be found in over 70% of both study groups. Fibrosis only occurred in children with recurrent tonsillitis (9%). In all specimens signs of chronic inflammation could be detected. The histological examinations of specimens from children with repeated throat infections more frequently showed a moderate chronic inflammation of the tonsillar tissue. Two of forty patients treated by tonsillotomy required a subsequent tonsillectomy due to a recurrence of tonsillar hyperplasia but no recurrent tonsillitis occurred. Tonsillotomy with CO(2)-laser technique is an effective surgical procedure with a long-lasting effect in patients with tonsillar hyperplasia. The benefits over conventional tonsillectomy are a lower risk for postoperative haemorrhage, reduced postoperative morbidity and accelerated recovery. Even in children with no history of recurrent tonsillitis signs of chronic inflammation histologically can be found in specimens after tonsillotomy. The occurrence of recurrent tonsillitis after tonsillotomy is rare, however. A low incidence of relapsing tonsillar hyperplasia after tonsillotomy should be expected. Preoperative laboratory investigations show few differences in patients with tonsillar hyperplasia and recurrent tonsillitis. Components of the antimicrobial defense system are also produced by chronically infected tonsils. Therefore tonsillotomy with CO(2)-laser could also be an option in some patients with mild symptoms of recurrent tonsillitis.

IgA glomerulonephritis: beyond angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors

IgA glomerulonephritis accounts for 25-50% of renal biopsy diagnoses. About 25-50% of patients progress to end-stage renal disease within 20 years of diagnosis. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II type I receptor blockers slow progression of IgA nephropathy (IgAN); however, as drugs of this class are not IgAN specific and are therefore unlikely to alter significantly its natural course, many other therapeutic approaches have been proposed. Most have been tested in a relatively small number of patients and have not yet proven to be effective in the long term. Conflicting and variable data, and a lack of long-term prospective randomized studies, mean that most treatments cannot be recommended as standard therapy for IgAN. Steroids seem to be the best treatment for patients with proteinuria, as drugs in this class ameliorate this symptom and protect against deterioration of renal function. Combined treatment with corticosteroids and cytotoxic drugs has yielded interesting results in several studies, especially in progressive patients with severe IgAN. In this review, we critically analyze the data on these treatments.

Topical adrenaline in the control of intraoperative bleeding in adenoidectomy: a randomised, controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy of topical racemic adrenaline (RA) (Micronefrin; Bird Products, Palm Springs, CA, USA) in the control of intraoperative bleeding and the prevention of postoperative bleeding, laryngeal spasm and postoperative pain in adenoidectomy among children <6 years of age.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomised, blinded and placebo-controlled trial.

SETTING

Kanta-Hame Central Hospital, a district referral center in Finland.

PATIENTS

A consecutive sample of 93 children undergoing outpatient adenoidectomy.

INTERVENTION

Patients were randomised to receive topical gauze sponges soaked in either 1:500 RA or 0.9% sodium chloride (physiological saline) for 3 min after adenoidectomy.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Amount of intraoperative bleeding (surgeons' subjective estimate), need for additional packings, need for electrocautery, laryngeal spasm, postoperative bleeding and pain, duration of procedure and duration of patients' stay in the operation room (OR).

RESULTS

Adrenaline significantly decreased surgeons' subjective estimate of the amount of intraoperative bleeding (proportion of patients with significant decrease 67 versus 21%, P < 0.001), reduced the mean number of packings needed (0.6 versus 1.2, P < 0.001) and use of electrocautery (22 versus 45%, P = 0.015), and shortened the mean duration of the procedure (13 versus 18 min, P = 0.043) and the mean stay in the OR (31 versus 35 min, P = 0.058). The impact of adrenaline was even more pronounced among patients with extensive adenoids and/or profuse intraoperative bleeding. A slight elevation of heart rate was observed more often in the adrenaline group (P = 0.043).

CONCLUSIONS

Use of topical adrenaline can be recommended in adenoidectomy among children. It helps control the intraoperative bleeding, reduces the use of electrocautery and shortens the durations of procedure and stay in the OR.

A mean red blood cell volume loss in tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy and adenotonsillectomy

OBJECTIVE

To calculate a mean red blood cell volume (RBCV) loss per kilogram (kg) in adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, and adeno-tonsillectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pre- and post-operative complete blood cell count, and pre-operative clotting studies of 144 patients were measured. Total blood volume (75 or 70 ml/kg), pre- and post-operative RBCV (hematocritxtotal blood volume), RBCV loss, per kg RBCV loss and per cent RBCV loss were calculated.

RESULTS

There was significant differences between pre- and post-operative RBCV, Hb, and Htc values for tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy and A&T groups, respectively (p<0.001 for all groups). We found a mean RBCV loss of 33 ml (5.56% of total RBCV) for adenoidectomy, 128 ml (10.63% of RBCV) for tonsillectomy and 60 ml (10.71% of RBCV) for A&T. RBCV loss per kg was 1.57+/-1.29 for adenoidectomy, 2.96+/-1.91 for adeno-tonsillectomy, and 3.02+/-1.66 for tonsillectomy.

CONCLUSION

According to us, for management of the patients, knowledge of a mean nature loss of RBCV per kg is important because bleeding seems to be unavoidable in the intra-operative or maybe post-operative period in these operations.

Severe methemoglobinemia complicating topical benzocaine use during endoscopy in a toddler: a case report and review of the literature

Severe methemoglobinemia resulting from the use of topical benzocaine has been reported in adults as a rare complication. Here we report a case of severe acquired methemoglobinemia resulting from topical use of benzocaine spray during diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in a 3-year-old boy with repeated episodes of hematemesis 3 weeks posttonsillectomy. He developed marked cyanosis and became increasingly agitated immediately after completion of his unremarkable endoscopic procedure, which was performed under intravenous sedation. He did not respond to maximum supplemental oxygen and had increased respiratory effort. His pulse oximetry dropped to 85%, but simultaneous arterial blood-gas analysis showed marked hypoxemia (Po2 = 29%) and severe methemoglobinemia (methemoglobin = 39%). His cyanosis and altered mental status promptly resolved after intravenous administration of methylene blue. In patients with methemoglobinemia, pulse oximetry tends to overestimate the actual oxygen saturation and is not entirely reliable. Posttonsillectomy bleeding is a rare but occasionally serious complication that could occur weeks after the surgery, although it more commonly occurs within the first few days. Physicians should remain aware of the possibility of its late onset. This case illustrates the severity of acquired methemoglobinemia that may result from even small doses of topical benzocaine and highlights the fact that prompt treatment of the disorder can be life saving. We question the rationale for routine use of topical anesthetic spray for sedated upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in children. By bringing the attention of pediatricians to this rare but serious complication, we hope that it will result in its improved recognition and possible prevention.

Hemorrhage risk after quinsy tonsillectomy

BACKGROUND

The goal of the study was to evaluate the incidence and possible predictive factors of post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage (PTH) in patients with peritonsillar abscess, treated by acute abscess tonsillectomy.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed on 205 patients who underwent bilateral abscess tonsillectomy under general anesthesia. Age, sex, smoking habits, history of recurrent tonsillitis or prior peritonsillar abscess, current medical treatment, side of the peritonsillar abscess, initial treatment, surgeon's experience, procedure duration, intra- and postoperative anti-inflammatory medications, and side of bleeding were analyzed.

RESULTS

Bleeding occurred in 27 patients (13%). Ipsilateral hemorrhage was observed in 8 patients (4%) and contralateral hemorrhage in 19 patients (9%). The higher incidence of PTH in the side contralateral to the abscess was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.02). Male gender (P = 0.042), smoking (P = 0.009), and aspirin intake (P = 0.008) were statistically significant factors associated with an increased PTH risk.

CONCLUSION

The risk of bleeding following abscess tonsillectomy seems higher than reported in elective tonsillectomy. This high incidence is mainly due to patients with prior aspirin intake or to bleeding in the side contralateral to the abscess. Postoperative bleeding could be reduced by performing a unilateral acute abscess tonsillectomy in selected patients. An algorithm is proposed for the management of peritonsillar abscess based on age, prior history of pharyngo-tonsillar infections, aspirin intake, and clinical improvement after initial drainage and antibiotherapy.

EBM RATING

C.

Day-case adenoidectomy: outcomes are improved using suction coagulation and prophylactic anti-emetic treatment

In 2004, the Department of Health published 10 High Impact Changes across the NHS. Of these, the first was treating day surgery as the norm for elective operations, releasing up to half a million in-patient beds each year. Adenoidectomy is an operation commonly performed in children for upper respiratory tract obstruction and as part of the surgical management of otitis media with effusion. Many surgeons consider the traditional curettage adenoidectomy as an unsatisfactory operation because it is performed blind, and is associated with varying reported levels of post-operative bleeding. Concern about the risk of bleeding and the frequent occurrence of post-operative nausea and vomiting have discouraged many surgeons from adopting adenoidectomy as a day-case procedure. We have audited the management and discharge of a cohort of 72 children undergoing traditional curettage adenoidectomy. Based on the results, we have completed the audit loop, by managing a second cohort of 77 children by suction coagulation adenoidectomy. An anaesthetic protocol has been designed to reduce post-operative nausea and vomiting, and facilitate same day discharge from hospital. The rate of post-operative nausea and vomiting fell from 21 to 1.3%, and the post-operative bleeding from 9.7% to nil. Discharge on the day of operation rose from 40.3 to 100%. Our audit confirms that these measures permit safe, day-case adenoidectomy.

Meta-analysis of the timing of haemorrhage after tonsillectomy: an important factor in determining the safety of performing tonsillectomy as a day case procedure

OBJECTIVES

To perform a meta-analysis of studies of the timing of primary tonsillectomy haemorrhage. In particular to compare the difference in risk between 0-8 and 8-24 h; that is whether overnight inpatient tonsillectomy is required.

DESIGN

Medline search of all tonsillectomy studies to perform a meta-analysis of the timing of primary haemorrhages.

SETTING

Literature-based study.

PARTICIPANTS

All adult and paediatric tonsillectomy studies giving the absolute number and timing of all primary haemorrhages.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The overall incidence of haemorrhage occurring between 0-8 and 8-24 h. The overall incidence of haemorrhage for each of the first 24 h after operation. Compare risk of a bleed occurring 0-8, 8-24 and >24 h where data were available.

RESULTS

From a 1.4% overall risk of a primary haemorrhage only one in 14 occur after 8 h, i.e. 0.1% (95% CI=0.08-0.16%). A total of 833 patients would require to be kept overnight in order to identify one case of bleeding after 8 h.

CONCLUSIONS

Little benefit was conferred from overnight admission from the point of view of monitoring for primary haemorrhage. A case can be made for either day-case tonsillectomy (hospital stay over the period in which 93% of primary haemorrhages would occur) or the 'belt-and-braces' approach of a 1-week stay (during which all haemorrhages would occur) but current 24-h admission appears illogical.

Tonsillectomy technique as a risk factor for postoperative haemorrhage

BACKGROUND

Tonsillectomy is one of the most frequent surgical procedures. "Hot" tonsillectomy techniques (eg, diathermy and coblation) have become well established, but there is little evidence to suggest that they are better than traditional "cold steel" dissection with only packs or ties for haemostasis.

METHODS

We obtained data for the occurrence of complications after all tonsillectomies done since July, 2003, in England and Northern Ireland. We recorded postoperative haemorrhages and other complications, taking place within 28 days of surgery, that led to delayed discharge, return to theatre, or re-admission. By February, 2004, the audit had included 13554 patients, of whom 11796 (87%) in 252 hospitals consented to electronic submission of their tonsillectomy data. Thus, 75% of the hospitals where tonsillectomies are done submitted data for 60% of all eligible patients.

FINDINGS

Haemorrhage occurred in 389 patients (3.3%). 59 patients (0.5%) had a primary haemorrhage (during initial stay), 337 (2.9%) a secondary haemorrhage (after discharge), and seven had both. The overall haemorrhage rate was 3.1 times (95% CI 1.9-5.0) higher with bipolar diathermy tonsillectomy than with cold steel tonsillectomy without any use of diathermy (p<0.001). The corresponding relative risk for coblation tonsillectomy was 3.4 (1.9-6.2; p<0.001). When cold steel was used for dissection and diathermy only for haemostasis the relative risk was 2.2 (1.3-3.7; p=0.002).

INTERPRETATION

The use of techniques such as diathermy and coblation increased postoperative haemorrhage. These methods should therefore be used with appropriate caution and only after proper training.