Comparative Safety of Flexible Laryngeal Mask and Tracheal Intubation in Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea Surgery Across Different Age Groups.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety of using a flexible laryngeal mask versus tracheal intubation in pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy across different age groups.

METHODS

A total of 180 children, divided equally into 3 age groups (1-3 y, 4-6 y, and 7-12 y), undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy were enrolled. Each age group was further subdivided into 2 cohorts: the flexible laryngeal mask group and the tracheal intubation group, each comprising 30 children. Parameters such as operation duration, anesthesia recovery time, and postoperative complications, such as coughing, laryngospasm, laryngeal edema, were monitored and recorded. In addition, agitation scores during recovery, consciousness levels, and intraoperative air leakage were also documented.

RESULTS

In the 1-to-3-year age group, a statistically significant difference was observed in both operation duration and recovery time between the 2 groups. Specifically, the operation duration was significantly longer in the laryngeal mask group compared with the tracheal intubation group ( P < 0.05), whereas the recovery time was shorter in the laryngeal mask group ( P <0.05). No significant differences were observed in other indicators between the 2 groups. Furthermore, no significant differences were found in any of the measured indicators between the laryngeal mask group and the tracheal intubation group in 4-to-6-year and 7-to 12-year age groups.

CONCLUSION

The use of a flexible laryngeal mask in children older than 3 years demonstrates minimal adverse reactions and good efficacy, supporting its broader application in clinical practice.