Pediatric tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy procedures

The most common pediatric surgical procedures performed in the United States today are tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies (T&A). Surgical team members must be highly trained and efficient to ensure optimal patient outcomes, reduce surgical costs, and decrease the risk and potential complications inherent in T&A procedures. The authors review current surgical indications for T&A procedures; recommended preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative patient care; and the management of potential complications.

Retrieving foreign bodies from upper aerodigestive tracts of children

Ingestion is foreign body lodgment in the esophagus, whereas aspiration is lodgment of foreign bodies in the larynx, trachea, or bronchi. Foreign bodies constitute an emergency when actual or potential airway obstruction occurs, when there is an esophageal perforation, or when disc batteries are ingested and lodged in the esophagus. A ventilating bronchoscope of appropriate size is essential to the removal of a foreign body in the airway or esophagus. Successful management of foreign bodies in the upper aerodigestive tracts of children is directly proportional to the time and effort spent in preoperative preparation.