I coughed up blood twice after tonsillectomy surgery. Is this a concerning issue?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 18 years old. I had a tonsillectomy 10 days ago. Four days ago, I went to the emergency room for coughing up blood clots, but we got it under control. Now on day 10, I coughed up a smaller blood clot. I got the bleeding under control 5 to 10 minutes later. I need to know if this kind of bleeding is an issue.

Kindly guide.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

It is very common to have small bleeds or clots in the sputum post-tonsillectomy. There is nothing that you need to worry about.

However, in a situation where you develop huge intermittent clots, it is always better to get them examined by the operating surgeon. This indicates a secondary hemorrhage. Make sure you do the gargles with salt water 8 to 10 times a day and Betadine 4 to 5 times a day separately. Gargles are the only effective way to prevent secondary infection and bleeding in the throat other than antibiotics. The slough accumulating in the tonsillar fossa can often lead to secondary infection, and that can flare up the inflammation, causing bleeding.

Make sure your food intake is good, and avoid oily and spicy food items. Do not smoke or consume alcohol, as it slows down healing. Keep sipping on boiled warm water every 2 hours for the next month. Hydration is extremely important. Do not retch too much, as this can also be a reason for intermittent bleeds.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.