Endovascular treatment of delayed bleeding after tonsillectomy

Abstract

Tonsillectomy is one of the most common procedures that otorhinolaryngologists perform. Hemorrhages are the principal complication. Some cases of hemorrhage can have delayed onset and these are related to formation of pseudoaneurysms. While this complication is rare, it is serious and can be fatal if it is not treated correctly. In cases with significant bleeding, surgical reintervention is needed and the 3 most common methods are suture, cauterization and endovascular treatment. The objective of this article is to report on the case of a 28-year-old female patient with massive post-tonsillectomy bleeding 31 days after the operation. An endovascular approach was taken and an injury to a left facial artery was diagnosed. Definitive treatment was achieved by selective embolization of the facial artery with microcoils and 500 μm particles of polyvinyl alcohol (P.V.A.), in that sequence, in order to avoid distal embolization. The endovascular method proved to be safe, selective and definitive.

Keywords:
tonsillectomy; pseudoaneurysm; endovascular procedures; embolization