A case of massive hemorrhage occurring 4 days after tonsillectomy

Abstract

We encountered a case of massive hemorrhage that occurred 4 days after tonsillectomy. The patient fell into asphyxia due to aspiration of blood clots, which caused cardiopulmonary arrest. Emergent tracheostomy was performed, and the patient's life was saved by resuscitation. Insufficient postoperative rest was considered as the cause. Although tonsillectomy is an operation which is frequently and relatively casually performed, we recognized again that this operation has a dangerous aspect. In this paper, we emphasized importance of thorough implementation of prophylactic measures and accurate response to emergency. © 1998, Society of Oto-rhino-laryngology Tokyo. All rights reserved.