The effect of polysomnography on pediatric adenotonsillectomy postoperative management.
OBJECTIVE
We retrospectively investigated the effect and predictability of preoperative polysomnography (PSG) on the postoperative course of younger pediatric patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review was performed for patients 3 years of age and younger who had undergone adenotonsillectomy between July 1997 and July 2002 at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.


RESULTS
Two hundred eighty-two patients were identified. Forty-three patients had preoperative PSG. No correlation between the severity of PSG results and postoperative course was identified.


CONCLUSIONS
The role of PSG in upper airway obstruction and OSA remains controversial. This study suggests that although the complication rate may be higher in this younger population, these complications do not appear to have a large impact on their length of stay.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the 3-years-and-younger group, in the absence of other comorbidities, can safely undergo adenotonsillectomy without undergoing preoperative PSG. EBM raing: C.
Rieder
Anthony A
AA
Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology and Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.
Flanary
Valerie
V
D000233:Adenoidectomy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay; D017286:Polysomnography; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014068:Tonsillectomy