Two recent studies suggest that tonsillectomy in children to treat chronic throat infections or breathing problems during sleep may benefit with short term relief than those who do not get the procedure. The study in pediatrics have found that benefits of the surgery evens out over time. It was found that three years after the surgery, the same number of throat infections can be seen in children who had the procedure when compared to those who did not.
According to Dr. Sivakumar Chinnadurai, senior author of strep throat study and a Vanderbilt University Medical Center researcher, although tonsillectomy is a fairly common and generally safe procedure, it still does carry some risks. Strep throat as an indication for tonsillectomy has become less common than it was in the past because of the recognition of risks and the knowledge that infection rate improves over time.
Dr. Chinnadurai added that while tonsillectomy remains of the most common surgeries performed in the country, the main indication for the procedure has switched from strep infection to obstructed breathing. Chinnadurai and colleagues examined data from previous studies published of children who had at least three strep infections in the previous one to three years to assess for potential tonsillectomies.
Children who got tonsillectomies for strep throats had fewer infections, missed less school, and had fewer doctor visits for the first year after the surgery as compared to those who did not have tonsillectomy. However, analysis of children with a history of moderate infections were found that the limited benefits of the surgery diminished over time. Part of the results may stem from the fact that children get fewer infections as they grow older
The study revealed that the benefits of tonsillectomy in children are much clearer in children with cases of sleep apnea or obstructed breathing during sleep. However, because of limited long term follow up, it is difficult to rule out the possibility that the benefits would subside as time goes on. Studies reveal that children with sleep apnea who had undergone the procedure had greater improvement in sleep quality compared to those who did not have tonsillectomy as reported in Fox News.
In children with sleep apnea symptoms improve within six months of surgery. Children has decreased snoring, coughing and colds, less hyperactivity and other behavioral problems and restless sleep. Immediately after the surgery, the throat will be sore and it will be hard for those who had undergone the surgery to eat and swallow for a few days. The surgery also carries the risk of infection and bleeding although some bleeding is expected as reported in an article by WebMD.
