Author Archives: Kim Fairbairn

National results of tonsillectomy safety published – Paediatric tonsillectomy in England: A cohort study of clinical practice and outcomes using Hospital Episode Statistics data (2008-2019)

The recently published analysis (doi:10.1111/coa.13707) of Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) is the largest study of paediatric tonsillectomy in England: including 318,453 procedures conducted over 11 years, with a median per-patient follow-up of 6 years. It reports that 98.7% of children experienced no in‐hospital complications but that rates of readmission for bleeding within 28 days are increasing; with significant differences in safety outcomes (bleeding, pain and return to theatre) identified between coblation and dissection tonsillectomy across the study period.

Results from the UK Airway Intervention Registry (AIR) published: balloon dilatation for paediatric airway stenosis

Scientists from NMPCE have led a national project to study the safety and efficacy of using endoscopic balloon dilatation to treat narrowing of airways in children. The study is reported in a recent paper, written in collaboration with clinical colleagues from Newcastle, Alder Hey, Guy’s & St Thomas’, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Great Ormond Street and the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence. It found that procedural success was achieved in 88% of patients and 6% of procedures were associated with in-hospital complications, with no long-term adverse safety concerns. The study provides important evidence that will support updates to national guidance.