Effect of intracapsular tonsillectomy on quality of life for children with obstructive sleep-disordered breathing.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the change in disease-specific quality of life (QOL) in pediatric patients with obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (OSDB) secondary to adenotonsillar hypertrophy after powered intracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.

DESIGN

Prospective outcomes study.

SETTING

Hospital-based pediatric otolaryngology practice.

PATIENTS: Fifty children with a mean age of 4.5 years who had a clinical diagnosis of OSDB.

INTERVENTIONS: A caregiver of qualifying patients completed a validated QOL survey of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea, the OSA-18 (Obstructive Sleep Apnea-18), preoperatively and 3 months and 1 year postoperatively.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The OSA-18 mean change scores.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) total OSA-18 change score at the 3-month follow-up visit was 2.3 (1.2) and at the 1 year follow-up visit was 2.2 (1.3). The total and individual domain change scores were significantly improved at both postoperative intervals (P<.001 for all). There were no significant changes in the total or domain change scores between the intervals. The total change score was not significantly associated with either tonsil size or tonsil position.

CONCLUSION

The OSDB-related QOL is significantly improved after powered intracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, and this improvement remains stable even after 1 year.