[Value of tonsillectomy in patient with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome with Friedman staging I]

To evaluate the availability of tonsillectomy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) staged as Friedman I.

Fifty-six patients with OSAHS in Friedman stage I who refused uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) received tonsillectomy merely from January 2004 to March 2010. There were 20 mild, 24 moderate and 12 serious patients respectively in this group. The other 68 OSAHS patients in Friedman stage I received UPPP at the same time as matched group, including 26 mild, 28 moderate and 14 serious patients.

There was no significant difference before operation in terms of age, body mass index, apnea hypopnea index (AHI), the lowest pulse oxygen saturation (SPO(2)) and average SPO(2) between the two groups. There were significant difference in mean length of operation (U = 0.000, P < 0.01), hospitalization day (U = 458.5, P < 0.01), visual analogue scale after surgery (U = 0.000, P < 0.01) in these two group. There was no significant difference in surgical effective rate between the two groups (χ(2) = 0.857, P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in terms of age, body mass index, AHI, the lowest SPO(2) and average SPO(2) after operation between the two groups (t test P > 0.05). The surgical effective rate for the long term of the two groups was equal (χ(2) = 0.857, P > 0.05). Even patients with serious OSAHS in Friedman stage I, the surgical effective rate of the two groups was equivalent (Fisher's exact test, P > 0.05).

Tonsillectomy is a safe and effective surgery for OSAHS in Friedman stage I, whose main structural load lies in the hypertrophic tonsil. It should be the first surgical choice for OSAHS in Friedman stage I.