The case for an outpatient approach for, all pediatric tonsillectomies and/or adenoidectomies: A 4-year review of 1419 cases at a community hospital

OBJECTIVE: We sought to document the safety and efficacy of approaching all pediatric tonsillectomies and/or adenoidectomies (T/A) as outpatient procedures. STUDY.. DESIGN AND SETTING: We conducted a 4-year retrospective study of 1419 pediatric patients undergoing T/A at an outpatient center with procedures performed by a single group of surgeons. RESULTS: None of the 593 patients undergoing an adenoidectomy and only 5 (0.6%) of those having a tonsillectomy had significant bleeding postoperatively. There, were no readmissions for airway problems. Children younger than age 3 were most likely to have complications and to be held for overnight observations. CONCLUSIONS. Most children can be safely discharged after T/A. The higher incidence of perioperative complications in children who are younger than 3 years of age paralleled their higher rate of overnight observation. SIGNIFICANCE. Children less than 3 years of age require more careful observation, especially after tonsillectomy and more likely will need to be observed overnight than older children.