Post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage: a 7-year retrospective study

Amongst fears about iatrogenic transmission of new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), last year the Department of Health of the U.K. advised that all adenotonsillectomies be performed using disposable instruments. Following implementation of these guidelines, many consultants reported an increase in post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage in association with the use of disposable instruments. We have undertaken a retrospective study of tonsillectomy and have confirmed a significant increase in the incidence of return to the theatre for arrest of postoperative haemorrhage (5.32% vs. 2.18%) during the period when disposable instruments were used.