Pain after tonsillectomy

Adequate post-operative analgesia is particularly important after tonsillectomy, a common and very painful operation. Post-operative pain should be minimized not just for patient comfort but also because it may impair swallowing with a risk of dehydration, infection and secondary haemorrhage. In children, adequate pain control is essential at the end of the anaesthetic as increased vascularity of the head and neck associated with crying may precipitate bleeding.(1) The following factors have been considered important in the control of pain post-operatively: systemic analgesia; the method of tonsil removal and haemostasis; local infiltration prior to tonsillectomy; mouth rinses, gargles and sprays during convalescence; diet and fluid instruction; and the use of postoperative prophylactic antibiotics and pre-operative steroids.