The removal of the tonsils is the most common surgical procedure performed in the childhood and post-operative bleeding a very frightening complication, especially in the younger children, because of the greater risk of airway obstruction. Many factors can interfere in the prevalence of these complications: as blood discrasias, surgical technique, postoperative cares, drugs and others. AIM: In order to study an hemostatic method in patients undergoing tonsillectomy and tonsils size. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical retrospective. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The authors retrospectively evaluated all medical files from 204 patients operated, from January 2001 to October 2003, at privates hospitals in Sorocaba - São Paulo. All had normal complete preoperative hemogram and coagulation screening. Surgeries were done by sharp and blunt dissection technique and hemostasis was achieved with gauze packing flooded with a 100% bismuth subgallate solution and if necessary completed with suture for the bleeding points. All data were analyzed by descriptive statistic. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude there is no relationship between tonsils size and hemostatic method used that was efficient.
tonsillectomy; hemorrhage; hypertrophy of palatine tonsils
