Adenotonsillectomy risky for young children

Children below 3 years of age who undergo adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) are at an increased risk for developing respiratory complications. During obstructive sleep apnoea, breathing stops briefly, but many times during the sleep. This can lead to daytime sleepiness further leading to high blood pressure. Researchers from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Centre in Ohio found that advances in anaesthesia and surgical techniques have led third-party payers to pressure doctors to perform adenotonsillectomy as an outpatient procedure. To investigate the disadvantages of this treatment, the researchers analysed data on 2315 children younger than 6 years of age who underwent adenotonsillectomy for sleep apnoea at their centre between June 1999 and May 2001. It was found that out of all children included in the study, 149 (nearly 6 percent) developed post-operative respiratory complications. Children younger than 3 years of age were at a 2-fold greater risk of developing post-operative respiratory complications as compared to their older counterparts (10 percent vs. 5 percent). The findings suggest that hospital admission is necessary for all patients younger than 3 years undergoing adenotonsillectomy for treatment of OSAS.