Adult tonsillectomy - are long waiting lists putting patients at risk?
Journal Article
2006
Permanent link to this Item
Authors
Journal Title
South African Journal of Surgery
Link to Journal
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Health and Medical Publishing Group
Publisher
University of Cape Town
Department
Faculty
Series
Abstract
There is a paucity of data on morbidity associated with long waiting lists for adult tonsillectomy. The aim of this study was to assess the morbidity associated with long waiting lists for adult tonsillectomy in a developing world setting. Of 350 patients on the waiting list at Groote Schuur Hospital for 18 months or more, only 55 were contactable. This low yield (15.7%) from the telephonic survey highlighted the difficulty of managing long waiting lists efficiently in a developing world setting. As only 1/55 patients on the waiting list had a complication (quinsy), it appears to be safe to delay tonsillectomy in adult patients. Only half of patients ultimately required tonsillectomy because of a natural reduction in the number of episodes of tonsillitis with time. In order to avoid unnecessary
tonsillectomy we need to find better prognosticators to identify the subgroup of adult patients likely to have continued recurrent tonsillitis
Description
Reference:
Mulwafu, W., Fagan, J., & Isaacs, S. (2006). Adult tonsillectomy-are long waiting lists putting patients at risk?. South African Journal of Surgery, 44(2), 66-68.