Hemorrhage risk factors assessment in pediatric patients undergoing adenoidectomy/adenotonsillotomy

Introduction. Hemorrhage is one of the most important complication of adenoidectomy (AT) and adenotonsillotomy (ATT) in children. The lack of hemostasis is an indication for Bellocq’s tamponade. Preoperative coagulation tests, complete blood count and blood type tests are taken to minimize the risk of bleeding after surgery. Material and methods. Data of 135 children with preoperative normal bleeding tests who underwent AT/ATT was collected. In study group (N = 41), postoperative hemorrhage requiring posterior nasal pack occurred. In the control group (N = 94), bleeding after AT/ATT resolved spontaneously and did not require nasal packing. Results. Hemorrhage was associated with older age. There was no relationship between hemorrhage and blood group, gender, type of the procedure and laboratory results obtained before the surgery. Conclusions. In our study, preoperative laboratory findings failed to effectively identify the patients at risk of hemorrhage after AT/ATT. However, a thorough medical interview and family history, as well as a detailed physical examination and laboratory testing might reveal bleeding disorders that had been asymptomatic. Keywords