ePoster
Presentations Description
Institution: ENT department, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital - QLD, Australia
Aims
To evaluate the safety of outreach tonsillectomy performed in a Very remote Australian setting, with a specific focus on the incidence, timing, management and outcomes of post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage (PTH).
Methodology
A retrospective review was undertaken of all tonsillectomies performed through an outreach service at Longreach Hospital, Queensland, from January 2014 to December 2024. Demographic and surgical characteristics were recorded. PTH events were analysed for severity, timing and management, including the need for retrieval, operative intervention or blood transfusion. Statistical analysis assessed potential predictors of PTH.
Results
A total of 144 patients were included, with a predominantly paediatric cohort (n = 99, 68.8%; median age 8 years, interquartile range 5–18 years). Most underwent monopolar cautery tonsillectomy (80.6%). Indications were recurrent tonsillitis (46.7%), sleep-disordered breathing (39.2%), or both. PTH occurred in 11 patients (6.7%), all of which were secondary bleeds (mean onset 7.4 days, standard deviation (SD) 2.3 days). Five patients (3.5%) required aeromedical retrieval, with a mean transfer time of 9.4 hours (SD 3.2 hours). No patients experienced severe haemorrhage, requiring return to theatre or blood transfusion. Patients with PTH were older than non-PTH patients (p=0.045), although age was not an independent predictor on regression analysis.
Conclusion
Outreach tonsillectomy in a Very remote setting demonstrated PTH rates comparable to those in the wider Australian literature, with patients successfully managed locally or via aeromedical retrieval. Although the absence of severe PTH limits conclusions regarding rare but high-risk events, these findings contribute to the ongoing discussion regarding the safety and feasibility of outreach models to improve access to ENT care for rural and remote populations.
Speakers
Authors
Authors
Dr Peter Watson-Brown - , Dr James Earnshaw - , Dr Sarju Vasani - , Dr Maurice Stevens -
