Adeno-tonsillectomy surgery in a joint aid effort: a feasible solution?

UNLABELLED Public hospitals in Brazil are under capacity for adenotonsillectomies, resulting in a growing waiting line. Otolaryngologists are used to these lines, since they understand that this problem is under govern responsibility. For this reason we believe that joint aid efforts to carry out adenotonsillectomies are justified. AIM To standardize the organization of adenotonsillectomies in joint aid efforts, its effectiveness and feasibility for public hospitals, and to compare the incidence of post-operative hemorrhage in joint aid effort surgery with that of regular surgeriy. METHODS A clinical case-control prospective study of adenotonsillectomies done in joint aid efforts was done from September 2004 to June 2006 at the Diadema State Hospital. An analysis was made of the multiprofessional staff involved in this process, and a comparison was made of the incidence of hemorrhage in joint aid efforts and after regular surgery. RESULTS 22 joint aid effort events for adenotonsillectomies were done during the period mentioned above (339 surgeries), an average 15.4 surgeries per event. The rate of postoperative hemorrhage requiring surgical revision was 1.48%(5/339), which did not differ statistically from the case-control group (1.37% - 5/364). CONCLUSION We were able to standardize the results of adenotonsillectomies done in a joint aid effort to the parameters that are considered as safe. This may reduce the waiting line for this procedure. The difference in the incidence of postoperative hemorrhage in the joint aid effort and regular surgery was not statistically significant.