Adenotonsillectomy in children: indications and contraindications

Adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy are the most common major operations done on children. The indications for tonsillectomy in certain clinical situations are constantly being debated in the literature and among professionals. We studied the efficacy (or lack of it) of adenotonsillectomy for chronic tonsillitis (recurrent throat infections), oral nasal obstruction, peritonsillar abscess, elimination of a bacterial carrier state, biopsy, and prevention of tongue thrusting with resultant anterior open bite. Adenoidectomy has been advocated in the literature for the treatment of nasal obstruction, sinusitis, and chronic serous otitis media. Complications of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy include hemorrhage, anesthetic death, infection, nasopharyngeal stenosis, patulous eustachian tube, and hypernasality. Children at risk for hypernasality are those with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, neuromuscular disorders, and submucous cleft of the soft palate. Because of the severity of the complications that can be encountered in any child, medical and conservative therapy should be attempted before operation is done. Proper antibiotic therapy will often control chronic serous otitis, sinusitis, and chronic, recurrent tonsillitis. Bacterial synergy is important to consider when selecting antibiotic therapy, since beta-lactamase production may protect pathogens commonly considered susceptible to standard antibiotic therapy.