Tonsil removal (tonsillectomy) - whether it occurs with or without adenoid removal - is one of the most common surgical procedures performed on children in the United States and may be used to treat sleep apnea (brief cessations of breathing during sleep) and frequently recurring upper respiratory infections. Researchers from the Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care in Utrecht, Netherlands, examined the effectiveness of adenotonsillectomy for treating recurrent sore throat.
The researchers looked at the results of 13 previously published studies that evaluated the effectiveness of adenotonsillectomy for the treatment of recurrent respiratory infections. For each study, they noted the number of times each child had a sore throat, how many school days were missed because of sore throat, and how many upper respiratory infections each child experienced. By combining the data and conclusions from the previously published studies, researchers could draw some conclusions about the overall effectiveness of adenotonsillectomy in treating recurrent respiratory infections.
What did they find? Having the tonsils and adenoids removed because of recurrent respiratory infections causing sore throat had a small effect on the overall incidence of sore throats. Over time, children had fewer sore throat episodes and upper respiratory symptoms, regardless of whether they had adenotonsillectomy or not. Children who had adenotonsillectomy did have an average 1.2 fewer episodes of sore throat each year and missed 2.8 fewer days of school because of sore throat, and children who had adenotonsillectomy had 0.5 fewer upper respiratory infections.
What This Means to You: Adenotonsillectomy may result in slightly fewer sore throats, missed days of school because of sore throat, and upper respiratory infections in children, however, it's important to realize that with time and watchful waiting the number of sore throats and upper respiratory infections that a child experiences usually decreases. If you're concerned about your child's sore throats and upper respiratory infections or if the doctor recommends tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy, discuss your concerns and questions about the risks and benefits of surgery with your child's doctor.
Source: B. K. van Staaij; E. H. van den Akker; G. J. M. G van der Heijden; A. G. Schilder; A. W. Hoes; Archives of Disease in Childhood, January 2005
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: January 2005
