The Swedish Quality Register for Tonsil Surgery
The Swedish Quality Register for Tonsil Surgery (SQTS) was initiated in 1997 and revised in 2009. The SQTS aim to include all tonsil surgery performed on benign indications including uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. Participation in the register is voluntary. The register is administered by a reference group on behalf of the Swedish Association for Otorhinolaryngology, Head- and Neck Surgery and funded by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions.
High coverage
Tonsil surgery is a common surgical procedure. In 2019, 13789 tonsil operations were performed in Sweden (circa 10 million inhabitants 2019). The coverage of the SQTS 2009-2022 have improved and since 2011 more than 75% of all known tonsil surgeries in Sweden have been registered each year (table 1). The denominator in the calculation of coverage is the total number of registered tonsil surgeries in the National Patient Register (NPR) and the SQTS. The numerator is the total number of tonsil surgery registered in the SQTS. All Swedish health care providers are required by law to report all tonsil surgeries to the NPR.
The total number of tonsil surgeries in Sweden and the coverage of the SQTS reported per year:
- 2009 12270 – 48.2 %
- 2010 12295 – 63.1 %
- 2011 11914 – 78.2 %
- 2012 13723 – 74.9 %
- 2013 13712 – 82.0 %
- 2014 13622 – 81.4 %
- 2015 13884 – 82.8 %
- 2016 13471 – 81.4 %
- 2017 13348 – 79.5 %
- 2018 13154 – 77.6 %
- 2019 13789 – 81.4 %
- 2020 9724 – 79.3 %
- 2021 8177 – 75.9 %
- 2022 8880 – 76.3%
The register contains information of several factors in the clinical process that may influence the outcome in a positive or negative direction. Interactive data from the register is available (in Swedish) online on our statistics page. Here continuously updated descriptions of national and local clinical practice, rates of complications and rates on efficacy is presented.
How to use data
Data from the SQTS can identify areas where improvement is warranted and stimulate local quality improvement projects. Data from the register can also be used for research, and the large number of patients registered annually enables detection of relations that are difficult to study in RCT´s. Several scientific studies have been conducted with data from the register. Full information on publications is available on our publication page.
Members of the reference group
Latest update 28 November 2023