Moderation of morbidity following tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy: a study of awareness under anesthesia

Sixty-seven children between the ages 3 and 10, undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups. Therapeutic suggestions recited in English (n = 31), French (n = 19), or continuous white noise (n = 18) were repetitively administered by means of earphones in a double blind design. Randomization to the English condition was associated with a more favorable outcome with respect to all parameters evaluated by physicians and nurses. However, statistical significance could not be demonstrated. Should this observed favorable outcome be legitimate, cortical interpretation of language context was inferred as recovery was not influenced by randomization into the French or white noise conditions. Preoperative behavior, as defined by preoperative upset and cooperation scores, may be predictive of postoperative convalescence. The favorable outcome imparted by the English condition appeared most significant with respect to those patients at highest risk for poor convalescence i.e. poor status preoperative patients.