Self-Reported Complications after Tonsillectomy: Comparison of Responders and Nonresponders to a Mailed Questionnaire
Table 2
Comparison of postoperative complication rates and symptoms for mail and telephone responders by age group.
Total sample (pediatric n = 467) (adult n = 316)
Mail responders (pediatric n = 349) (adult n = 193)
Telephone responders (pediatric n = 118) (adult n = 123)
Value
Any contact with HCP
Pediatric sample
88 (18.8%)
73 (20.9%)
15 (12.7%)
0.049
Adult sample
121 (38.3%)
79 (40.9%)
42 (34.1%)
0.226
Visit to private practitioner
Pediatric sample
66 (14.1%)
56 (16.0%)
10 (8.5%)
0.041
Adult sample
85 (26.9%)
59 (30.6%)
26 (21.1%)
0.065
Hospital readmission
Pediatric sample
22 (4.7%)
17 (4.9%)
5 (4.2%)
0.779
Adult sample
36 (11.4%)
20 (10.4%)
16 (13.0%)
0.470
Postoperative symptoms
Pediatric sample
Bleeding
24 (5.1%)
21 (6.0%)
3 (2.5%)
0.139
Pain
47 (10.1%)
40 (11.5%)
7 (5.9%)
0.084
Infection
27 (5.8%)
25 (7.2%)
2 (1.2%)
0.028
Adult sample
Bleeding
38 (12.0%)
23 (11.9%)
15 (12.2%)
0.941
Pain
74 (23.4%)
57 (29.5%)
17 (13.8%)
0.001
Infection
24 (7.6%)
21 (10.9%)
3 (2.4%)
0.006
HCP = health care provider (private practitioner and/or hospital readmission). Contact with a HCP was used as a proxy measure for overall complication rates.
