The NPTA may have underestimated tonsillectomy complications: a case note review of data submitted by two hospitals

Response to Pothier et al. and Lowe on ‘The NPTA may have underestimated tonsillectomy complications: a case note review of data submitted by two hospitals’

“…This may be caused by differences in the method of data collection and incomplete reporting to the NPTA previously alluded to by Pothier et al. 1 .…”

“…Following correspondence from Pothier et al. 1,2 and Lowe 3 relating to the National Prospective Tonsillectomy Audit (NPTA) 4 and the potential underestimation of complication rate, further concerns regarding the limitations of the audit are raised.…”

“…There is also the problem, as specifically highlighted by Pothier et al. 1 , that reporting to the NPTA is generally incomplete.…”

“…The authors support Pothier and Nankivell in their belief that “until a thorough patient‐record based ‘audit of the audit’ can show that reliable data were collected, the complication rates identified by the NPTA should be viewed with suspicion.” 1 We also believe that should a similar audit be carried out in the future, a definition of haemorrhage should be clarified.…”

Response to Pothier et al. on ’The NPTA may have underestimated tonsillectomy complications: a case note review of data submitted by two hospitals'

“…I read with interest the letter from Pothier et al 1 . regarding their case note review of data from two ENT departments which took part in the NPTA.…”