Comparing postoperative quality of life in children after microdebrider intracapsular tonsillotomy and tonsillectomy

Extracapsular Tonsillectomy versus Intracapsular Tonsillotomy in Paediatric Patients with OSAS

OBJECTIVE

The objective of our study was to compare our experience of intracapsular tonsillotomy performed with the help of a microdebrider usually used for adenoidectomy with results obtained from extracapsular surgery through dissection and from adenoidectomy in cases of people affected with OSAS, linked to adeno-tonsil hypertrophy, observed and treated in the last 5 years.

METHODS

3127 children with adenotonsillar hyperplasia and OSAS-related clinical symptoms (aged between 3 and 12 years) underwent tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy. A total of 1069 patients (Group A) underwent intracapsular tonsillotomy, while 2058 patients (Group B) underwent extracapsular tonsillectomy, from January 2014 to June 2018. The parameters considered in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the two different surgery techniques taken into consideration were as follows: the presence of possible postoperative complications, represented mainly by pain and perioperative bleeding; the level of postoperative respiratory obstruction compared with the original obstruction through night pulse oximetry, performed 6 months before and after the surgery; tonsillar hypertrophy relapse in Group A and/or the presence of residues in Group B with clinical evaluation performed 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year after the surgery; and postoperative life quality, evaluated through submitting to parents the same survey proposed before the surgery 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year after the surgery.

RESULTS

Regardless of the technique used (extracapsular tonsillectomy or intracapsular tonsillotomy), there was a clear improvement in both the obstructive respiratory symptomatology and quality of life in both patient groups, as highlighted by the pulse oximetry and the OSA-18 survey submitted later.

CONCLUSIONS

Intracapsular tonsillotomy surgery has improved in terms of a reduction in postoperative bleeding cases and pain reduction, with an earlier return to patients' usual lifestyle. Lastly, using a microdebrider with the intracapsular technique seems to be particularly effective in removing most of the tonsillar lymphatic tissue, leaving only a thin border of pericapsular lymphoid tissue and preventing lymphoid tissue regrowth during one year of follow-up.

Quality of life in children undergoing tonsillectomy: a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

The quality of life in children undergoing tonsillectomy remains unclear. We aimed to analyze the current status and influencing factors of quality of life in children undergoing tonsillectomy, to provide useful insights to clinical postoperative care for children.

METHODS

Children who underwent tonsillectomy in our hospital from June 1, 2021 to October 31, 2022 were selected. The characteristics of children were collected and Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 (PedsQL™ 4.0) was used for evaluating the quality of life in children. Pearson correlation, univariate and logistic regression analyses were condcuted to evaluate the influencing factors of quality of life in children undergoing tonsillectomy.

RESULTS

A total of 118 children undergoing tonsillectomy were included. The total score of PedsQL™ 4.0 in children undergoing tonsillectomy was (70.28 ± 13.15). Pearson correlation analyses indicated that age(r = 0.586), courses of tonsillitis(r = 0.595), parental education level(r = 0.612) and monthly family income(r = 0.608) were associated with the PedsQL™ 4.0 total score in children undergoing tonsillectomy (all P < 0.05). Logistic regression analyses indicated that age ≤ 5y (OR = 2.009,95%CI: 1.826 ~ 2.401), courses of tonsillitis ≥ 3years (OR = 2.167,95%CI: 1.688 ~ 2.547), high school of parental education level (OR = 1.807,95%CI: 1.224 ~ 2.181) and monthly family income ≤ 5000 RMB(OR = 2.624,95%CI:2.092 ~ 3.077) were the independent influencing factors of quality of life in children with undergoing tonsillectomy (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of life of children after tonsillectomy is not high, and the quality of life of children is affected by many factors. Medical staff should take early targeted nursing countermeasures tageted on those influencing factors to improve the quality of life of children.

Effect of intravascular dexamethasone injection after powered intracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in children

PURPOSE

To compare postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting, and bleeding between intravascular dexamethasone injection group and control group among children undergoing powered intracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (PITA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective review of medical records was performed for pediatric patients who underwent PITA from March 1, 2017, to February 28, 2021, at a tertiary referral medical center in South Korea. Postoperative pain and nausea were measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS) from the postoperative day (POD) 0 to POD 6. The number of analgesics administered and the number of vomiting episodes were recorded in the same period. The repeatedly measured parameters were statistically analyzed between the dexamethasone group and control group.

RESULTS

A total of 71 children with complete questionnaires including 44 boys and 27 girls were included, and the mean age was 7.49 ± 2.44 years. There were 33 patients in the dexamethasone group and 38 in the control group. Postoperative pain (p = 0.169) or nausea (p = 0.460) on the VAS showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Postoperative analgesics showed no difference between the groups (p = 0.398), and neither did postoperative vomiting (p = 0.270). In both groups, no child showed signs of postoperative bleeding.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that the beneficial effects of intravascular dexamethasone administration in PITA may not be evident. This might be due to the superior outcome of the PITA technique compared to total extracapsular tonsillectomy. Therefore, otolaryngologists performing PITA may not necessarily need to administer dexamethasone in children before surgery.

Coblation intra-capsular tonsillectomy: A prospective tertiary center trial

INTRODUCTION

There is a growing interest in intra-capsular coblation tonsillectomy (ICT) for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children. Literature remains controversial regarding which intra-capsular tonsillectomy (IT) technique is most effective and with least morbidity. Therefore, the aims of this study are to objectively measure the post-operative morbidity and the effectiveness of the ICT technique.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

107 children undergoing ICT (with or without adenoidectomy) for upper airway obstruction due to tonsillar hypertrophy at a tertiary center university hospital were prospectively enrolled from March 2016 to March 2018. Efficacy of the surgery was assessed by a pre-and post-operative Obstructive Sleep Apnea score (OSA-18). Post-operative morbidity was measured based on the Parent's Post-operative Pain Measure questionnaire (PPPM), type and duration of administered pain medication, time before resuming a full diet and a normal activity, readmission for dehydration and post-operative bleeding incidence.

RESULTS

After a mean follow-up of 21.6 months, OSA-18 mean total score was 78.77 (SD = 15.74) before ICT and 23.7 (SD = 9.25) after surgery, with a significant difference between pre-operative and post-operative scores (p < 0.001). Mean PPPM scores were low at all evaluation points (5.89, 2.42 and 0.83 at days 2, 5 and 10 respectively). Analgesic use was restricted to acetaminophen in nearly all children for a mean duration of 1.93 days. They resumed a normal diet after 2.42 days and a normal activity (including return to school) after 2.7 days. No hospital readmission nor post-operative hemorrhage were reported.

CONCLUSION

Intra-capsular tonsillectomy by coblation is an effective and safe procedure that provides rapid post-operative recovery with minimal analgesic requirements, thus deserving a wider application in treating upper airway obstruction due to tonsillar hypertrophy in children.

Does perioperative ketorolac increase bleeding risk after intracapsular tonsillectomy?

IMPORTANCE

Conflicting evidence exists regarding the post-tonsillectomy bleed risk associated with perioperative ketorolac use in the pediatric population. Surgical technique for tonsillectomy can further confound this risk.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective was to retrospectively quantify the post-tonsillectomy bleed rate after single-dose administration of ketorolac in pediatric patients following intracapsular tonsillectomy. The secondary objective was to determine if age, sex, body mass index, medical comorbidities, and indication for surgery increased post-tonsillectomy bleed risk.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study of 1920 children who underwent intracapsular tonsillectomies between January 2017 and December 2018.

SETTING

This study was completed at a tertiary-care pediatric referral center.

PARTICIPANTS

1920 children who underwent intracapsular tonsillectomies between January 2017 and December 2018 at a single tertiary-care children's hospital.

EXPOSURES

Patients were divided into two cohorts: 1458 patients (75.9%) received ketorolac (K+), and 462 (24.1%) did not (NK). Age, sex, body mass index, comorbidities, and indication for surgery also were evaluated for association with post-tonsillectomy bleed risk.

MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURE(S)

Primary study outcome for both cohorts was post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage requiring operative intervention.

RESULTS

1920 study participants were included with an average age of 6.5 years; 51.5% of participants were males; and, 63.9% were white. Overall, the postoperative bleeding rate was 1.5%. However, there was no significant difference when comparing bleeding rates for the ketorolac group and the non-keterolac group (1.4%-1.7%; P = .82) Age, chronic tonsillitis, higher body mass index Z-scores, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and behavioral diagnoses were statistically significant risk factors for post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Single-dose postoperative ketorolac does not appear to be associated with increased risk of post-tonsillectomy bleed in pediatric patients undergoing intracapsular tonsillectomy. Providers should not avoid using ketorolac in patients undergoing intracapsular tonsillectomy due to concerns over bleeding risk.

Total versus subtotal tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis - a prospective randomized noninferiority clinical trial

Background: For many years experts have called for randomized controlled trials to resolve the question whether tonsillectomy, which is associated with significant comorbidity, can be replaced by partial tonsillectomy in patients with recurrent tonsillitis.Objective: To find out whether subtotal tonsillectomy is a suitable therapeutic alternative to total tonsillectomy in adult patients with recurrent episodes of acute tonsillitis.Material and methods: Study design - Single-blind prospective non-inferiority randomized clinical trial with intraindividual design. Setting - 80 patients were recruited at a tertiary referral center. Subjects - Adult patients with recurrent tonsillitis received total tonsillectomy on one side and subtotal tonsillectomy on the other side after randomization. Main outcome measure was frequency of postoperative tonsillitis on the side of subtotal tonsillectomy and postoperative pharyngitis in the former tonsil area on the side of total tonsillectomy. The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS-ID: DRKS00015628).Results: Within 12 months none of the subjects suffered from recurrent tonsillitis after subtotal tonsillectomy. Subtotal tonsillectomy caused less pain than total tonsillectomy.Conclusion: Subtotal tonsillectomy might be an alternative treatment option associated with lower morbidity than total tonsillectomy in adults with recurrent tonsillitis.

Tonsillectomy versus tonsillotomy for obstructive sleep-disordered breathing in children

BACKGROUND

Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (oSDB) is a condition encompassing breathing problems when asleep due to upper airway obstruction. In children, hypertrophy of the tonsils and/or adenoids is thought to be the commonest cause. As such, (adeno)tonsillectomy has long been the treatment of choice. A rise in partial removal of the tonsils over the last decade is due to the hypothesis that tonsillotomy is associated with lower postoperative morbidity and fewer complications.

OBJECTIVES

To assess whether partial removal of the tonsils (intracapsular tonsillotomy) is as effective as total removal of the tonsils (extracapsular tonsillectomy) in relieving signs and symptoms of oSDB in children, and has lower postoperative morbidity and fewer complications.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane ENT Trials Register; Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); MEDLINE; EMBASE; CINAHL; Web of Science; ClinicalTrials.gov; ICTRP and additional sources for published and unpublished trials. The search date was 22 July 2019.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effectiveness of (adeno)tonsillectomy with (adeno)tonsillotomy in children aged 2 to 16 years with oSDB.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard Cochrane methods and assessed the certainty of the evidence for our pre-defined outcomes using GRADE. Our primary outcomes were disease-specific quality of life, peri-operative blood loss and the proportion of children requiring postoperative medical intervention (with or without hospitalisation). Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain, return to normal activity, recurrence of oSDB symptoms as a result of tonsil regrowth and reoperation rates.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 22 studies (1984 children), with predominantly unclear or high risk of bias. Three studies used polysomnography as part of their inclusion criteria. Follow-up duration ranged from six days to six years. Although 19 studies reported on some of our outcomes, we could only pool the results from a few due both to the variety of outcomes and the measurement instruments used, and an absence of combinable data. Disease-specific quality of life Four studies (540 children; 484 (90%) analysed) reported this outcome; data could not be pooled due to the different outcome measurement instruments used. It is very uncertain whether there is any difference in disease-specific quality of life between the two surgical procedures in the short (0 to 6 months; 3 studies, 410 children), medium (7 to 13 months; 2 studies, 117 children) and long term (13 to 24 months; 1 study, 67 children) (very low-certainty evidence). Peri-operative blood loss We are uncertain whether tonsillotomy reduces peri-operative blood loss by a clinically meaningful amount (mean difference (MD) 14.06 mL, 95% CI 1.91 to 26.21 mL; 8 studies, 610 children; very low-certainty evidence). In sensitivity analysis (restricted to three studies with low risk of bias) there was no evidence of a difference between the groups. Postoperative complications requiring medical intervention (with or without hospitalisation) The risk of postoperative complications in the first week after surgery was probably lower in children who underwent tonsillotomy (4.9% versus 2.6%, risk ratio (RR) 1.75, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.91; 16 studies, 1416 children; moderate-certainty evidence). Postoperative pain Eleven studies (1017 children) reported this outcome. Pain was measured using various scales and scored by either children, parents, clinicians or study personnel. When considering postoperative pain there was little or no difference between tonsillectomy and tonsillotomy at 24 hours (10-point scale) (MD 1.09, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.29; 4 studies, 368 children); at two to three days (MD 0.93, 95% CI -0.14 to 2.00; 3 studies, 301 children); or at four to seven days (MD 1.07, 95% CI -0.40 to 2.53; 4 studies, 370 children) (all very low-certainty evidence). In sensitivity analysis (restricted to studies with low risk of bias), we found no evidence of a difference in mean pain scores between groups. Return to normal activity Tonsillotomy probably results in a faster return to normal activity. Children who underwent tonsillotomy were able to return to normal activity four days earlier (MD 3.84 days, 95% CI 0.23 to 7.44; 3 studies, 248 children; moderate-certainty evidence). Recurrence of oSDB and reoperation rates We are uncertain whether there is a difference between the groups in the short (RR 0.26, 95% CI 0.03 to 2.22; 3 studies, 186 children), medium (RR 0.35, 95% CI 0.04 to 3.23; 4 studies, 206 children) or long term (RR 0.21 95% CI 0.01 to 4.13; 1 study, 65 children) (all very low-certainty evidence).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

For children with oSDB selected for tonsil surgery, tonsillotomy probably results in a faster return to normal activity (four days) and in a slight reduction in postoperative complications requiring medical intervention in the first week after surgery. This should be balanced against the clinical effectiveness of one operation over the other. However, this is not possible to determine in this review as data on the long-term effects of the two operations on oSDB symptoms, quality of life, oSDB recurrence and need for reoperation are limited and the evidence is of very low quality leading to a high degree of uncertainty about the results. More robust data from high-quality cohort studies, which may be more appropriate for detecting differences in less common events in the long term, are required to inform guidance on which tonsil surgery technique is best for children with oSDB requiring surgery.

Differences in postoperative maladaptive behavioral changes between partial and total tonsillectomy patients

INTRODUCTION

Behavioral difficulties associated with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) improve after tonsillectomy, but surgery may lead to the development of short-term postoperative maladaptive behavioral changes (PMBCs). These PMBCs have not been compared between total and partial tonsillectomy patients.

METHODS

SDB patients aged 1-6 years undergoing tonsillectomy were recruited. Parent phone surveys were conducted at 48-72 hours and 1-2 weeks postoperatively. Parents identified PMBCs using the Post-Hospital Behavior Questionnaire (PHBQ), scoring changes in behavior compared to baseline. PMBCs were defined by PHBQ scores >0 and compared by one-tailed t-test. Postoperative pain was categorized as mild, moderate, and severe pain using the Parents' Postoperative Pain Measure (PPPM). Differences in pain levels were analyzed by Chi-squared test. A p-value <0.05 was deemed statistically significant.

RESULTS

Seventy-eight children completed the study, with 29 total tonsillectomy and 49 partial tonsillectomy patients. At both time points after surgery, PHBQ scores were higher in total tonsillectomy patients than in partial tonsillectomy patients (3.41 ± 3.53 versus 1.94 ± 2.25 at 2-3 days, p = .013). PMBCs were also more frequent in total than partial tonsillectomy patients (76% versus 59% at 2-3 days; 28% versus 7% at 1-2 weeks). Meanwhile, distribution of pain levels was similar between both partial and total tonsillectomy patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicates that total tonsillectomy patients more frequently experience PMBCs than do partial tonsillectomy patients despite similar distributions in pain levels postoperatively. This difference in PHBQ scores between total and partial tonsillectomy patients should be further explored.

Adenotonsillectomy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Quality of Life: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objective To determine the impact of adenotonsillectomy on the quality of life of pediatric patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to identify gaps in the current research. Data Sources The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were systematically searched via the Ovid portal on June 18, 2016, for English-language articles. Review Methods Full-text articles were selected that studied boys and girls <18 years of age who underwent adenotonsillectomy for OSA or sleep-disordered breathing and that recorded validated, quantitative quality-of-life outcomes. Studies that lacked such measures, performed adenotonsillectomy for indications other than OSA or sleep-disordered breathing, or grouped adenotonsillectomy with other procedures were excluded. Results Of the 328 articles initially identified, 37 were included for qualitative analysis. The level of evidence was generally low. All studies involving short-term follow-up (≤6 months) showed improvement in quality-of-life scores after adenotonsillectomy as compared with preoperative values. Studies involving long-term follow-up (>6 months) showed mixed results. Modifications to and concurrent procedures with conventional adenotonsillectomy were also identified that showed quality-of-life improvements. Three studies were identified for meta-analysis that compared pre- and postoperative Obstructive Sleep Apnea-18 scores. Short- and long-term follow-up versus preoperative scores showed significant improvement ( P < .001). Short- and long-term scores showed no significant difference. Conclusion This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate adenotonsillectomy's effectiveness in improving the quality of life of pediatric patients with OSA. This is well demonstrated in the short term and has strong indications in the long term.

Adenotonsillotomy Versus Adenotonsillectomy in Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An RCT

BACKGROUND

Adenotonsillectomy (ATE) is a well-established and effective treatment of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In recent years, a more conservative method, adenotonsillotomy (ATT), has gained popularity because it is associated with less postoperative morbidity. Yet no previous randomized study has compared these 2 methods regarding their effectiveness in treating pediatric OSA in terms of polysomnographic data, which was the primary aim of this study. The hypothesis was that ATT is noninferior to ATE after 1 year.

METHODS

Seventy-nine children, aged 2 to 6 years, with OSA (Apnea-Hypopnea Index [AHI] 5-30) were randomized to ATT (n = 40) or ATE (n = 39). Polysomnography (PSG) and questionnaire OSA-18 were assessed at baseline and 1 year postsurgery.

RESULTS

Mean difference between groups in the primary outcome, change in AHI, was 0.83, 95% confidence interval -3.2 to 4.9, not exceeding the noninferiority margin of 5. After ATE, AHI decreased from median 12.7 (interquartile range 8.3-19.1) to 2.0 (1.2-3.1) and after ATT from 15.8 (8.5-21.2) to 4.0 (1.2-5.1). For both groups, significant improvements of PSG and OSA-18 questionnaire outcomes were observed, with no significant differences between groups. Five children (13%) in the ATT group needed repeated surgery for tonsil regrowth and recurrence of OSA.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that ATT is noninferior to ATE in treating pediatric OSA regarding PSG outcomes after 1 year. ATT could be considered an alternative to ATE for treatment of pediatric OSA. However, after ATT, there is a nonnegligible risk of recurrence of OSA, and this should be taken into account when selecting surgical method.

Rethinking surgical technique and priorities for pediatric tonsillectomy

The past 100years have witnessed dramatic shifts in the concept of ideal surgical goals and operative technique in tonsil surgery. Surgeons are reviving a technique of intracapsular tonsillectomy with increasing precision thanks to modern technology. With intracapsular tonsillectomy, pediatric patients recover faster, use less pain medication, and have a lower risk of dehydration and hemorrhage. Various considerations will dictate the adoption of this technology in the coming years. This current review explores concepts and controversies surrounding tonsillectomy with a focus on quality improvement.

Lower-pole intracapsular tonsillectomy in obstructive sleep apnea patients

CONCLUSION

Lower-pole intracapsular tonsillectomy (LPIT) is a valuable surgical technique capable of decreasing post-operative bleeding in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients.

OBJECTIVE

This study performed LPIT to simultaneously reduce post-operative bleeding of lower pole and prevent recurrent tonsillitis of upper pole and compared its effects to extracapsular tonsillectomy (ET).

METHODS

ET was performed in the extracapsular plane, with complete monopolar dissection. In LPIT, the upper pole of palatine tonsil was removed by electrocautery with the extracapsular plane, followed by removal of the lower-pole by plasma ablation with the intracapsular plane. Post-operative bleeding incidence, bleeding site, and degree of pain were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Three hundred and forty-seven patients diagnosed of OSA with polysomnography were enrolled. ET was performed in 152 patients and LPIT in 195 patients. There were no significant differences in post-operative pain between the two groups. The LPIT group showed significantly lower total bleeding incidence than the ET group (4.1% vs 9.2%; p = .05). In particular, lower-pole bleeding incidence was lower in the LPIT group than the ET group (1.0% vs 5.3%; p = .02).

Indications for tonsillectomy stratified by the level of evidence

Background: One of the most significant clinical trials, demonstrating the efficacy of tonsillectomy (TE) for recurrent throat infection in severely affected children, was published in 1984. This systematic review was undertaken to compile various indications for TE as suggested in the literature after 1984 and to stratify the papers according to the current concept of evidence-based medicine. Material and methods: A systematic Medline research was performed using the key word of "tonsillectomy" in combination with different filters such as "systematic reviews", "meta-analysis", "English", "German", and "from 1984/01/01 to 2015/05/31". Further research was performed in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, National Guideline Clearinghouse, Guidelines International Network and BMJ Clinical Evidence using the same key word. Finally, data from the "Trip Database" were researched for "tonsillectomy" and "indication" and "from: 1984 to: 2015" in combination with either "systematic review" or "meta-analysis" or "metaanalysis". Results: A total of 237 papers were retrieved but only 57 matched our inclusion criteria covering the following topics: peritonsillar abscess (3), guidelines (5), otitis media with effusion (5), psoriasis (3), PFAPA syndrome (6), evidence-based indications (5), renal diseases (7), sleep-related breathing disorders (11), and tonsillitis/pharyngitis (12), respectively. Conclusions: 1) The literature suggests, that TE is not indicated to treat otitis media with effusion. 2) It has been shown, that the PFAPA syndrome is self-limiting and responds well to steroid administration, at least in a considerable amount of children. The indication for TE therefore appears to be imbalanced but further research is required to clarify the value of surgery. 3) Abscesstonsillectomy as a routine is not justified and indicated only for cases not responding to other measures of treatment, evident complications, or with a significant history of tonsillitis. In particular, interval-tonsillectomy is not justified as a routine. 4) TE, with or without adenoidectomy, is efficacious to resolve sleep-related breathing disorders resulting from (adeno)tonsillar hypertrophy in children. However, the benefit is reduced by co-morbidities, such as obesity, and further research is required to identify prognostic factors for this subgroup of patients. Further research is indicated to clarify selection criteria not only for this subpopulation that may benefit from less invasive procedures such as tonsillotomy in the long-term. 5) Further trials are also indicated to evaluate the efficacy of TE on the clinical course in children with psoriasis guttata as well as on psoriasis vulgaris in adults, not responding to first-line therapy. 6) Conflicting results were reported concerning the role of TE in the concert to treat Ig-A nephropathy, mandating further clinical research. 7) Most importantly, randomized-controlled clinical trials with an adequate long-term follow-up are desirable to clarify the benefit of TE in patients with recurrent episodes of tonsillitis, with or without pharyngitis. Factors like age, spontaneous healing rate and postoperative quality of life have to be included when comparing TE with antibiotic therapy.

Comparison of treatment outcomes between intracapsular and total tonsillectomy for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea

BACKGROUND

Intracapsular tonsillectomy (IT) has been advocated as a treatment for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, evidence in the literature utilizing polysomnography (PSG) is limited.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the experience at a tertiary children's hospital to evaluate the effectiveness and risks of intracapsular tonsillectomy compared to total tonsillectomy (TT) for treating pediatric OSA.

METHODS

A retrospective study was undertaken of pediatric tonsillectomy cases performed for OSA at a tertiary children's hospital from 2005 to 2010. Patients with recurrent tonsillitis, craniofacial abnormalities, chromosomal abnormalities, neuromuscular disease, and congenital malformations were excluded. Main outcome measures were apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), minimum oxygen saturation (minO₂), and surgical complications.

RESULTS

Of the 1583 patients reviewed in this study, there were 75 IT and 93 TT patients with pre- and post-operative PSG results. The IT patients were younger, had lower BMI, larger tonsil size, lower pre-operative (AHI) and lower post-operative AHI (p < 0.05). There was a similar percentage of patients that showed improvement in AHI and minimum oxygen saturation between the IT and TT groups. There were statistically similar average change in AHI and minimum oxygen saturation between the IT and TT groups at 5.6 ± 8.6 and 8.6 ± 12.9, respectively (p = 0.8) as well as similar improvement in minimum oxygen saturation between the two groups at 3.3% ± 4.3% and 3.0% ± 5.2%, respectively (p = 0.66). Of TT patients, 2.9% experienced post-operative bleeding with 1.6% requiring OR for control of hemorrhage. Of IT patients, 2.2% were found to have tonsillar regrowth with 2.0% returning to the OR for secondary tonsillectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Intracapsular tonsillectomy, like total tonsillectomy, is effective in improving polysomnogram results in appropriately selected children. Intracapsular tonsillectomy is a suitable option for the surgical treatment of pediatric OSA consequent to its demonstrated efficacy in relieving OSA and its favorable safety profile.

Improvement in symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea in children following tonsillectomy versus tonsillotomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Tonsillotomy (or intracapsular tonsillectomy) is a modern technique which is seen by some as potentially superior to traditional (extracapsular) tonsillectomy for the removal of tonsillar tissue to treat obstructive sleep apnoea in children. It has been suggested that peri-operative pain and haemorrhage and postoperative haemorrhage are reduced with the tonsillotomy technique. However, no systematic reviews have been carried out to assess its efficacy in treating obstructive sleep apnoea compared to tonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVE OF REVIEW

To assess whether subjective improvement in symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea following tonsillotomy is comparable to that following tonsillectomy, measured using a standardised questionnaire, the Obstructive sleep apnoea-18 (OSA-18) tool.

TYPE OF REVIEW

Systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis.

SEARCH STRATEGY

PubMed (MEDLINE), followed by Ovid (MEDLINE), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, American College of Physicians Journal Club, and the British Medical Journal were searched for articles published in English between 1995 and 2015 inclusive.

EVALUATION METHOD

Literature search, systematic review and meta-analysis. Studies examining improvement in mean OSA-18 score following tonsillotomy, improvement in mean OSA-18 score following tonsillectomy, and examining both were selected, examined and used for meta-analysis. Studies with and without concurrent adenoidectomy were included.

RESULTS

Four studies examining tonsillotomy and 16 studies examining tonsillectomy were included in the analysis. Using a random effects model, the pooled improvement in OSA-18 score for tonsillotomy was 2.46 (95% CI 1.92-2.99), and for tonsillectomy, it was 2.10 (95% CI 1.91-2.30). There was no significant difference between the methods.

CONCLUSION

That there is no significant difference in subjective outcome between tonsillotomy and tonsillectomy may support wider use of tonsillotomy over tonsillectomy for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea in children.

Surgical treatment for childhood obstructive sleep apnoea: Cold-knife tonsillar dissection versus bipolar radiofrequency thermal ablation

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE

Adenotonsillectomy for treatment of childhood obstructive sleep apnoea is effective. The uncomfortable postoperative period and possible complications have significantly increased the use of partial techniques, seeking to improve these aspects while achieving the same results in resolving sleep apnoea. The aim was to present the experience with 2 consecutive groups of patients, comparing total tonsillectomy to bipolar radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

METHOD

A group of 96 children that underwent total tonsilloadenoidectomy using cold dissection were compared to another group of 101 children that underwent RFA. In all cases, polysomnography was performed before and 1 year after surgery. The percentage of cases with persistent disease (apnea-hypopnea index ≥ 3) and the improvement of clinical symptoms at one year were evaluated. The percentages of surgical and anaesthetic complications in both groups were also compared.

RESULT

The persistence of the syndrome was comparable in both groups: 25% in the cold dissection and 22.77% in the radiofrequency ablation group. Anaesthetic complications (5% in the group where cold dissection was used and 4.2% in the radiofrequency ablation group) and postoperative bleeding rates were very low and statistically comparable with both techniques.

CONCLUSION

In the treatment of childhood obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, both extracapsular surgery using cold scalpel and bipolar radiofrequency tunnelling techniques are safe. Likewise, results as to resolution of the syndrome show no statistically significant differences.

[Validation of the Spanish version of Parent's Postoperative Pain Management pain scale]

INTRODUCTION

Assessment of postoperative pain is a fundamental aspect of post-surgical care. When surgery is performed as an outpatient, the parents are mainly responsible for the assessment of pain, but they may not always correctly evaluate their children's pain. This makes it necessary to have tools that help them to assess postoperative pain reliably. The Parent's Postoperative Pain Measurement (PPPM) is a behavioral measurement tool of post-operative pain developed to help parents to assess their children's post-operative pain. The purpose of this work was to translate this scale into Spanish, and validate the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the scale.

METHOD

Participants were 111 children aged 2 to 12 years, who had undergone surgery, and one of their parents. After the operation, the children's level of pain was assessed, and the parents completed the PPPM scale in Spanish.

RESULTS

The PPPM items in Spanish showed good internal consistency (Cronbach alpha between 0.784 and 0.900) and the scale scores were closely related to the global pain assessment (Spearman's rho correlation between 0.626 and 0.431). The score on the scale decreased between the day of the operation and the next day, and discriminated well between children undergoing surgery qualified as low/moderate pain and high pain.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the Spanish version of the PPPM scale evaluated in this study, has good psychometric properties to assess postoperative pain by parents at home.

Microdebrider-assisted intracapsular tonsillectomy in adults with chronic or recurrent tonsillitis

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

We compared the effectiveness and morbidity of microdebrider-assisted total intracapsular tonsillectomy (ICTE) with conventional extracapsular tonsillectomy (ECTE) in adults with chronic or recurrent tonsillitis.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective randomized surgical trial.

METHODS

Adult patients with recurrent or chronic tonsillitis who underwent tonsillectomy between July 2010 and July 2012 in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, were consecutively included. Patients were randomized to receive either ICTE or ECTE. Patients and examiners were blinded to the surgical procedure. Effectiveness was assessed with the Tonsil and Adenoid Health Status Instrument (TAHSI). Various parameters of perioperative morbidity and the occurrence of tonsillar remnants were recorded.

RESULTS

In the 104 randomized patients, the average TAHSI score was 34.6 ± 11.7 before and 2.2 ± 5.7 after 6 months following tonsillectomy (P < 0.001). TAHSI scores improved equally in patients receiving conventional ECTE (33.6 points; 95% confidence interval (CI), 29.5 to 37.6) and in patients with ICTE (31.8 points; 95% CI, 27.7 to 35.9; between groups P = 0.6). Posttonsillectomy hemorrhage was more frequent following conventional ECTE (P = 0.03). Following ECTE, patients required more pain medication then following ICTE (P < 0.05). Tonsillar remnants were significantly more frequent after ICTE (P < 0,001). However, presence of tonsillar remnants had no influence on postoperative THASI scores (P > 0.5).

CONCLUSION

Tonsillectomy reduced symptoms of chronic or recurrent tonsillitis in adults with remarkable effectiveness. Microdebrider-assisted ICTE reduced symptoms as effectively as conventional ECTE. ICTE was associated with lower morbidity, but residual tonsils occurred in almost half of patients, costs were higher, and the intracapsular approach was more intricate and time-consuming.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

1b.

Tonsillectomy versus tonsillotomy for sleep-disordered breathing in children: a meta analysis

Objectives

Tonsillotomy has gained popular acceptance as an alternative to the traditional tonsillectomy in the management of sleep-disordered breathing in children. Many studies have evaluated the outcomes of the two techniques, but uncertainty remains with regard to the efficacy and complications of tonsillotomy versus a traditional tonsillectomy. This study was designed to investigate the efficacy and complications of tonsillotomy versus tonsillectomy, in terms of the short- and long-term results.

Methods

We collected data from electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. The following inclusion criteria were applied: English language, children, and prospective studies that directly compared tonsillotomy and tonsillectomy in the management of sleep disordered breathing. Subgroup analysis was then performed.

Results

In total, 10 eligible studies with 1029 participants were included. Tonsillotomy was shown to be advantageous over tonsillectomy in short-term measures, such as a lower hemorrhage rate, shorter operation time, and faster pain relief. In long-term follow-up, there was no significant difference in resolution of upper-airway obstructive symptoms, the quality of life, or postoperative immune function between the tonsillotomy and tonsillectomy groups. The risk ratio of SDB recurrence was 3.33 (95% confidence interval = 1.62 6.82, P = 0.001), favoring tonsillectomy at an average follow-up of 31 months.

Conclusions

Tonsillotomy may be advantageous over tonsillectomy in the short term measures and there are no significant difference of resolving obstructive symptoms, quality of life and postoperative immune function. For the long run, the dominance of tonsillotomy may be less than tonsillectomy with regard to the rate of sleep-disordered breathing recurrence.

Tonsillitis and sore throat in children

Surgery of the tonsils is still one of the most frequent procedures during childhood. Due to a series of fatal outcomes after hemorrhage in children in Austria in 2006, the standards and indications for tonsillectomy have slowly changed in Germany. However, no national guidelines exist and the frequency of tonsil surgery varies across the country. In some districts eight times more children were tonsillectomized than in others. A tonsillectomy in children under six years should only be done if the child suffers from recurrent acute bacterially tonsillitis. In all other cases (i.e. hyperplasia of the tonsils) the low risk partial tonsillectomy should be the first line therapy. Postoperative pain and the risk of hemorrhage are much lower in partial tonsillectomy (=tonsillotomy). No matter whether the tonsillotomy is done by laser, radiofrequency, shaver, coblation, bipolar scissor or Colorado needle, as long as the crypts are kept open and some tonsil tissue is left behind. Total extracapsular tonsillectomy is still indicated in severely affected children with recurrent infections of the tonsils, allergy to antibiotics, PFAPA syndrome (periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and cervical adenitis) and peritonsillar abscess. With regard to the frequency and seriousness of the recurrent tonsillitis the indication for tonsillectomy in children is justified if 7 or more well-documented, clinically important, adequately treated episodes of throat infection occur in the preceding year, or 5 or more of such episodes occur in each of the 2 preceding years (according to the paradise criteria). Diagnosis of acute tonsillitis is clinical, but sometimes it is hard to distinguish viral from bacterial infections. Rapid antigen testing has a very low sensitivity in the diagnosis of bacterial tonsillitis and swabs are highly sensitive but take a long time. In all microbiological tests the treating physician has to keep in mind, that most of the bacterials, viruses and fungi belong to the healthy flora and do no harm. Ten percent of healthy children even bear strepptococcus pyogenes all the time in the tonsils with no clinical signs. In these children decolonization is not necessary. Therefore, microbiological screening tests in children without symptoms are senseless and do not justify an antibiotic treatment (which is sometimes postulated by the kindergartens). The acute tonsillitis should be treated with steroids (e.g. dexamethasone), NSAIDs (e.g. ibuprofene) and betalactam antibiotics (e.g. penicillin or cefuroxime). With respect to the symptom reduction and primary healing the short-term late-generation antibiotic therapy (azithromycin, clarithromycin or cephalosporine for three to five days) is comparable to the long-term penicilline therapy. There is no difference in the course of healing, recurrence or microbiological resistance between the short-term penicilline therapy and the standard ten days therapy. On the other hand, only the ten days antibiotic therapy has proven to be effective in the prevention of rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritic diseases. The incidence of rheumatic heart disease is currently 0.5 per 100,000 children of school age. The main morbidity after tonsillectomy is pain and the late haemorrhage. Posttonsillectomy bleeding can occur till the whole wound is completely healed, which is normally after three weeks. Life-threatening haemorrhages occur often after smaller bleedings, which can spontaneously cease. That is why every haemorrhage, even the smallest, has to be treated properly and in ward. Patients and parents have to be informed about the correct behaviour in case of haemorrhage with a written consent before the surgery. The handout should contain important addresses, phone numbers and contact persons. Almost all cases of fatal outcome after tonsillectomy were due to false management of haemorrhage. Haemorrhage in small children can be especially life-threatening because of the lower blood volume and the danger of aspiration with asphyxia. A massive haemorrhage is an extreme challenge for every paramedic or emergency doctor because of the difficult airway management. Intubation is only possible with appropriate inflexible suction tubes. All different surgical techniques have the risk of haemorrhage and even the best surgeon will experience a postoperative haemorrhage. The lowest risk of haemorrhage is after cold dissection with ligature or suturing. All "hot" techniques with laser, radiofrequency, coblation, mono- or bipolar forceps have a higher risk of late haemorrhage. Children with a hereditary coagulopathy have a higher risk of haemorrhage. It is possible, that these children were not identified before surgery. Therefore it is recommended by the Society of paediatrics, anaesthesia and ENT, that a standardised questionnaire should be answered by the parents before tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. This 17-point-checklist questionnaire is more sensitive and easier to perform than a screening with blood tests (e.g. INR and PTT). Unfortunately, a lot of surgeons still screen the children preoperatively by coagulative blood tests, although these tests are inappropriate and incapable of detecting the von Willebrand disease, which is the most frequent coagulopathy in Europe. The preoperative information about the surgery should be done with the child and the parents in a calm and objective atmosphere with a written consent. A copy of the consent with the signature of the surgeon and both custodial parents has to be handed out to the parents.

Role of subtotal tonsillectomy (‘tonsillotomy’) in children with sleep disordered breathing

Introduction:

Sleep disordered breathing in children causes disturbance in behaviour and also in cardiorespiratory and neurocognitive function. Subtotal tonsillectomy (‘tonsillotomy’) has been performed to treat sleep disordered breathing, with outcomes comparable to established therapies such as total tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. This review critically assesses the role of subtotal tonsillectomy in a paediatric setting.

Method:

The Medline database (1966 to October 2012) was electronically searched using key terms including subtotal or intracapsular tonsillectomy, tonsillotomy, tonsillectomy, paediatrics, and sleep disordered breathing.

Results:

Eighteen papers were identified and reviewed. Subtotal tonsillectomy would appear to have an efficacy equal to that of total tonsillectomy for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, and has significant benefits in reducing post-operative pain and analgesia use. Subtotal tonsillectomy patients appear to have less frequent post-operative haemorrhage compared with total tonsillectomy patients.

Conclusion:

In children, subtotal tonsillectomy is associated with fewer post-operative complications whilst having a comparable effect in improving sleep disordered breathing, compared with total tonsillectomy.

Obstructive sleep apnea in children: a critical update

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children is a highly prevalent disorder caused by a conglomeration of complex pathophysiological processes, leading to recurrent upper airway dysfunction during sleep. The clinical relevance of OSA resides in its association with significant morbidities that affect the cardiovascular, neurocognitive, and metabolic systems. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently reiterated its recommendations that children with symptoms and signs suggestive of OSA should be investigated with polysomnography (PSG), and treated accordingly. However, treatment decisions should not only be guided by PSG results, but should also integrate the magnitude of symptoms and the presence or absence of risk factors and signs of OSA morbidity. The first-line therapy in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy is adenotonsillectomy, although there is increasing evidence that medical therapy, in the form of intranasal steroids or montelukast, may be considered in mild OSA. In this review, we delineate the major concepts regarding the pathophysiology of OSA, its morbidity, diagnosis, and treatment.