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Parent satisfaction 1 year after adenotonsillectomy of their children
M Wolfensberger1, J A Haury, T Linder
1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031, Basel, Switzerland. mwolfensberger@uhbs.ch
Insights
Parental satisfaction with tonsillectomy (removal of tonsils and adenoids) is high, with 91% reporting satisfaction a year after surgery. This common childhood procedure effectively resolves symptoms like recurrent sore throats and breathing issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
- Surgical Outcomes Research
- Childhood Health Interventions
Background:
- Tonsillectomy is a frequent yet debated surgical procedure in pediatric care.
- Assessing parental expectations and post-operative satisfaction is crucial for understanding the procedure's value.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate parental expectations prior to pediatric tonsillectomy.
- To determine parental satisfaction levels one year after the surgery.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, multicenter study involving 664 children undergoing tonsillectomy.
- Data collection included medical history, clinical findings, and surgical indications.
- Parents completed questionnaires on pre-operative expectations and post-operative satisfaction.
Main Results:
- 88% of surgeries were for recurrent febrile tonsillitis or obstructive symptoms.
- Significant reduction in febrile sore throat episodes (6.7 to 1.5) and resolution of obstructive symptoms in 80% of cases.
- 91% of parents reported satisfaction with the surgical outcome; 28% regretted delaying the procedure.
Conclusions:
- Parental satisfaction with tonsillectomy is high, based on overall symptom improvement rather than a single complaint.
- Tonsillectomy is an effective treatment for indicated conditions and should not be withheld.
- The study supports tonsillectomy as the treatment of choice for specific pediatric conditions.
Background:
Tonsillectomy is one of the most frequent as well as one of the most controversial operations performed in childhood.
Objective:
To assess the expectations of parents before tonsillectomy and to assess their satisfaction 1 year after surgery.
Study Design:
664 children undergoing (adeno-)tonsillectomy were enrolled in a nation-wide prospective multicenter study. The child's medical history, clinical findings, and indication for tonsillectomy were recorded by the physicians at the time of surgery. The parents were asked to fill out a questionnaire and to list all symptoms from which they expected relief at the time of surgery and to assess the subjective benefit of the surgery 1 year post-operatively. Five-hundred and seventy six of the 664 patients' parents (87%) returned the follow-up questionnaire.
Results:
88% of the (adeno-)tonsillectomies were performed because of documented recurrent febrile tonsillitis or obstructive symptoms such as sleep apnea or snoring with restless sleep and daytime irritability. The number of episodes of febrile sore throat dropped from a mean of 6.7 in the year prior to surgery to a mean of 1.5 in the year after surgery (P<0.001). Obstructive symptoms disappeared in 80% of cases, 524 parents (91%) were satisfied with the benefit, 159 parents (28%) regretted not having arranged to have surgery performed earlier.
Conclusion:
Our study shows that parents assess the outcome of tonsillectomy not with regard to one main symptom (e.g. recurrent sore throat) but with regard to a number of complaints. It also shows a high rate (91%) of parent satisfaction after tonsillectomy. For the indications studied, tonsillectomy remains the treatment of choice and should not be delayed or even denied to those children.