Post-Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy Bleeding

Overview

A practical and academic approach to post-tonsillectomy and post-adenoidectomy hemorrhage as one of the most dangerous on-call ENT emergencies. This bleeding is not measured only by the amount of visible blood in the mouth; a child may silently swallow blood, then present with sudden hematemesis or shock. The rule that should guide the shift is simple: every bleed after tonsillectomy is bleeding from an open surgical bed until proven otherwise, and every story of “we saw blood and then it stopped” deserves serious assessment, observation, and a clear plan for rapid return to the operating...