Tonsillar hypertrophy and chronic hypoxia.
Three patients with hypertrophied tonsils presented in the Mater Children's Hospital with chronic hypoxia and congestive cardiac failure. The clinical features and physiological basis of this unusual syndrome are discussed. The condition is potentially fatal, but may be completely cured by adenotonsillectomy.
D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000150:complications; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology*; D013577:Syndrome