Pulmonary hypertension with severe congestive cardiac failure in children secondary to adenotonsillar enlargement was first reported in the Journal of Paediatrics in 1968. Seven years later Simmons I reported the finding of chronic hypersomnolence and periodic sleep apnoea in patients with upper airway obstruction. Subsequently through the work of Guilleminault 2 and others the obstructive slee...

OBJECTIVE While otolaryngologists consider growth failure an absolute indication for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A), they may not be accustomed to screening for poor growth, and thus unlikely to consider it when recommending a T&A. This paper will (a) familiarize otolaryngologists with the definition, prevalence, and etiology of growth failure and (b) review the published findings that e...

BACKGROUND The most common cause of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is adenotonsillar hypertrophy. As such, palatine tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy is the first-line treatment for OSA, which can significantly improve the sleep and behavioral disturbances associated with OSA in the majority of patients. However, even after adenotonsillectomy, a reported 20% to 40% of patient...

AIM/BACKGROUND Tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures by the otolaryngologists in the pediatric population. The aim of this study is to evaluate parental expectation and satisfaction following tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Hospital-based prospective study of all consented parents whose children...

OBJECTIVES This revised clinical practice guideline, intended for use by primary care clinicians, provides recommendations for the diagnosis and management of the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children and adolescents. This practice guideline focuses on uncomplicated childhood OSAS, that is, OSAS associated with adenotonsillar hypertrophy and/or obesity in an otherwise healthy chil...

BACKGROUND The incidence of hypertrophy and recurrent infections of the tonsils/adenoids appears to be decreasing in the Netherlands. It is uncertain whether this is a 'real' decrease in the incidence of disease or an 'artefact'. AIM To investigate possible causes of the decreasing incidence of adenotonsillar problems among Dutch children. DESIGN OF STUDY Observational. SETTING A national...

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children does not only present with symptoms of sleep disturbances but also with associated symptoms such as growth failure, enuresis, academic learning difficulties, and behavioral problems, including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder- (ADHD-) like symptoms. We evaluated neurocognitive functions before and after adenotonsillectomy in a patient ...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the management of adenotonsillar hypertrophy in pediatric patients after transplantation. DESIGN A retrospective medical record review after transplantation of all pediatric patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy at the University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center during a 14-month period. SETTING A tertiary care center. PATIENTS There were 16 patients in ou...