Tertiary hospital retrospective observational audit of tonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVES:Tertiary hospitals see a wide array of complex paediatric patients requiring the procedure of tonsillectomy to alleviate airway symptoms. To investigate the implications of patient-specific factors on postoperative morbidities and hospital stay length, including the role of BMI and AH as predictors for airway complications following surgery. METHODS:A retrospective chart review was performed for all patients presenting at The Children's Hospital at Westmead for routine tonsillectomy between July 2010 and July 2014. RESULTS:Of 500 charts, 420 patients met inclusion criteria. 155 (37%) patients had a pre-existing comorbidity. Polysomnogram (PSG) was conducted prior to surgery (n = 129). BMI results showed a mean BMI of 20.0, n = 25 were overweight, n = 70 were obese and n = 11 underweight. 84 patients (20%) experienced a postoperative complication/unexpected morbidity. There were no returns to theatre and no mortality. 24 patients had more than one complication. Complication rate was highest in the patients <2 years of age. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of desaturation related complications between obese and non-obese groups p = 0.00480. There was statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay between the two groups. 16% of children with co-morbidities stayed for >2 nights in hospital (25/155) compared to 7.5% of children without co-morbidities p = 0.00607. 9% of children with co-morbidities stayed for 3 nights in hospital (14/155) compared to patients without co-morbidities (6/256), p = 0.00167. CONCLUSIONS:This audit confirms the impact of age, obesity and certain co-morbidities on the potential costs to the hospital in managing complications and length of stay after surgery.