Related Experiment Videos
Weight gain in children following tonsillectomy
1Department of Otolaryngology, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee, Scotland.
Insights
Children undergoing tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis experienced significant weight gain, averaging 20% above expected, regardless of pre-operative weight. This weight increase was associated with improved appetite and fewer sore throats post-surgery.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Otolaryngology
- Surgical Outcomes
Background:
- Controversial evidence exists regarding weight gain in children after tonsillectomy.
- Tonsillectomy is often associated with general health improvements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate weight changes in children following tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis.
- To assess the association between tonsillectomy, weight gain, and symptom improvement.
Main Methods:
- One hundred and nine children undergoing tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis were studied.
- Weight was recorded pre-operatively and 12 months post-surgery.
- Symptom charts were completed to assess health improvements.
Main Results:
- Children's median pre-operative weight was at the 55th percentile, indicating they were generally not underweight.
- Post-surgery, weights increased by an average of 20% over expected values.
- Weight gain occurred across the entire group, not just in underweight children.
Conclusions:
- Tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis is associated with significant weight gain in children.
- Improved appetite and reduced sore throats were commonly reported post-surgery.
- Weight gain is a common outcome for all children after tonsillectomy, irrespective of initial weight status.
Abstract:
There is much controversial evidence that children gain weight to a significant extent following tonsillectomy, usually associated with a general improvement in health. One hundred and nine consecutive children undergoing tonsillectomy in Dundee for recurrent tonsillitis had their weight recorded pre-operatively, and twelve months after surgery were re-weighed and a symptom chart completed. The results showed the patients were generally not underweight before surgery as their median weight was on the 55th. percentile. Most parents reported an improvement in their child's appetite with a reduction in the number of sore throats after surgery. Their weights following surgery had increased by an average of 20 per cent over what would normally have been expected, but this increase in weight was not confined to underweight children, but to the entire group.