The authors analyzed retrospectively 1889 case-records of adult patients subjected to tonsillectomy in 1985 - 1995. The operation was made during short-term hospitalization under general anaesthesia. If it was necessary to arrest haemorrhage during operation, ligature in the bed was used. The most serious complication was haemorrhage which developed in 83 patients (4.4%). The haemorrhage in four of these patients was serious and called for a blood transfusion, in 8 patients haemostasis was associated with removal of a residue left in the bed. The most frequent complication were subfebrile temperatures in 92 patients (4.9%). Fever was recorded in 29 patients (1.5%), vomiting after operation in 13 patients (0.9%), 3 patients developed signs of rhombencepha- litias and 2 behavioural changes. In the whole group there was no lethal complication and no other serious complication than haemorrhage. According to the timing complications were divided into three groups. There were 12 peroperative complications. 73 complications within the first 24 hours after operation and 126 complications on the 2nd to 14th day after operation. No later complications were recorded.

        Key words: tonsillectomy, complications, postoperative haemorrhage.