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Post-operative nausea and vomiting following paediatric day-case tonsillectomy: audit of the Epsom protocol

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 July 2011

P J Robb  and
B N Ewah
P J Robb*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, Epsom, UK
B N Ewah
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesia, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, Epsom, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr Peter J Robb, Department of Otolaryngology, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, Epsom KT18 7EG, UK E-mail: peter.robb@esth.nhs.uk
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Abstract

Objective:

To audit a protocol for elective, day-case, paediatric ENT surgery, previously reported as enabling an overall post-operative nausea and vomiting rate of 2 per cent and a discharge rate of 100 per cent on the day of surgery.

Method:

The audit included 91 children (45 boys and 46 girls) aged three to 14 years. Forty-seven children underwent tonsillectomy, 36 adenotonsillectomy and eight tonsillectomy with postnasal space examination; indications included recurrent tonsillitis, tonsillitis and nasal block, upper airway obstruction, and a combination of upper airway obstruction and recurrent tonsillitis.

Results:

No post-operative nausea or vomiting was recorded in any of the children on the day of surgery, and no discharges were delayed. The reactionary haemorrhage rate was 1 per cent and the secondary haemorrhage rate 3.3 per cent.

Conclusion:

These findings have implications for the safe same-day discharge of children following tonsillectomy.

Keywords

Post Operative Nausea And VomitingTonsillectomyChild
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 125 , Issue 10 , October 2011 , pp. 1049 - 1052
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2011

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