Incidence and Risk Factors of Post Tonsillectomy Hemorrhage in Patients Operated during the 2016-March 2022 Period in “Mother Teresa” Hospital, Albania

Objective: Tonsillectomy is a common surgical procedure in the field of Otorhinolaryngology. Post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage remains a significant complication. The main goal of this study is to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of post-operative hemorrhage. Methodology: This is a retrospective study of 1369 patients who underwent tonsillectomy at “Mother Teresa” University Hospital Center, Albania from January 2016 to March 2022. The study data was obtained from the archives of the Statistics Service of the ENT-Department. 104 patients with post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage were identified. Their characteristics (age, gender), risk factors for hemorrhage, grade of hemorrhage, the day of the complication, average hospitalization and readmission to the operating room were analyzed. Results: At the University Hospital Center, 1369 tonsillectomies were performed from 2016 to the first quarter of 2022. The incidence of secondary hemorrhage is 7.6%, and only 1.53% of the cases required readmission to the operating room. No hemorrhage in our study resulted in death. In most cases, hemorrhage occurred on the 6th post-operative day. The risk of hemorrhage increases with age. There is no significant difference between genders. The most common indication for tonsillectomy is chronic tonsillitis. Neither the frequency nor the grade of hemorrhage is affected by the surgical indication. Conclusion: Tonsillectomy is considered a safe procedure for both children and adults based on the hemorrhage and mortality percentages. It is important to identify the risk factors that will determine the group of patients with the highest risk of post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage.