Researchers led by a team at UT Southwestern Medical Center have created a
statistical model to identify standards for typical, high, or low rates of
bleeding after pediatric tonsillectomies. The findings, published in JAMA
Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, could help doctors and hospitals
improve outcomes for the third-most common pediatric surgery in the
U.S.This model is a useful instrument to include in quality and safety
initiatives around tonsillectomies. Now, doctors have a validated model to
judge their bleeding rates against.Although complications after tonsillectomies are rare, Dr. Johnson said,
excessive bleeding is one of the most common and is often considered a
factor in the very few deaths associated with this surgery. The change in
guidelines was a significant step toward helping improve tonsillectomy
safety, he said, but physicians faced a significant hurdle in using them
effectively.
statistical model to identify standards for typical, high, or low rates of
bleeding after pediatric tonsillectomies. The findings, published in JAMA
Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, could help doctors and hospitals
improve outcomes for the third-most common pediatric surgery in the
U.S.This model is a useful instrument to include in quality and safety
initiatives around tonsillectomies. Now, doctors have a validated model to
judge their bleeding rates against.Although complications after tonsillectomies are rare, Dr. Johnson said,
excessive bleeding is one of the most common and is often considered a
factor in the very few deaths associated with this surgery. The change in
guidelines was a significant step toward helping improve tonsillectomy
safety, he said, but physicians faced a significant hurdle in using them
effectively.
To develop probability standards, Dr. Johnson and his colleagues collected
data from the Children’s Hospital Association’s Pediatric Health
Information System database, which contains de-identified patient
information covering inpatient stays, outpatient surgeries from more than
49 not-for-profit children’s hospitals in the U.S.
