Bleeding following coblation tonsillectomy: a 10-year, single-surgeon audit and modified grading system

Objective: Coblation tonsillectomy can be controversial. This study assessed post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage outcomes for patients operated on by a single experienced coblation-trained ENT surgeon. Study design: A retrospective audit of coblation tonsillectomies was performed using the Flinders modification of Stammberger criteria for post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage. Method: Case note review, interview and database interrogation were utilised to obtain the dataset. Haemorrhage results were compared to reports in the current literature. Results: Of those who underwent coblation tonsillectomy, 3.4 per cent were readmitted to hospital with haemorrhage and 1.3 per cent returned to the operating theatre (0.4 per cent primary haemorrhage and 0.9 per cent secondary haemorrhage). Younger children had a lower risk of returning to the operating theatre than older children or adults (0.3 per cent under the age of 12 years vs 2.0 per cent aged 12 years or older). Conclusion: Coblation can be a safe method for tonsillectomy with low complication rates when performed by an experienced ENT surgeon. The Flinders modification of the Stammberger criteria for post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage provides a simple system for data comparison.