Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy Can Have Risk as Outpatient Surgery

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Abstract
More than 340 000 tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies (T&As) are performed annually in the United States. Because of current emphasis on reducing health care costs, many insurers are requiring that T&As be performed as outpatient surgery, even though there is a lack of data supporting the safety of this requirement. At a medical meeting at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Fla, an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat physician) with Columbus (Ohio) Children's Hospital reported the results of a study of 2944 pediatric patients who had a tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy during 1983 and 1984 at this institution. Jeffrey S. Carithers, MD, said that the study results "support keeping the patients at least eight hours, and possibly ten hours, after surgery to minimize the risk of complications." Dr Carither further stated that "an overnight hospital stay must be considered in those patients not qualified for release before eight hours after surgery. When

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