title: Antibiotic use and doctor visits are reduced after adenotonsillectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A tonsillectomy, with or without an adenotomy ((A)TE), is a common surgical procedure in children. The most important indications are recurrent tonsillitis and upper airway obstruction secondary to adenotonsillar hypertrophy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the current (A)TE practice in Belgium reduced the need for medical care.
  
  
  METHODS
  The database of the Christelijke Mutualiteit, one of the most important health insurance organizations in Belgium, provided data on approximately 11,000 (A)TE's in children aged 0 to 15 years, performed by different ENT-specialists from Jan 1st 2002 to Sept 30th 2003. We compared the use of antibiotics during the 12 months before and the 12 months after (A)TE. We also compared the number of visits to pediatricians and general practitioners during the 12 months before and the 12 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median antibiotic use dropped from 4 boxes in the year before the operation to 1 box in the year after the operation. The median number of doctor visits also dropped from 7 visits in the year before to 4 visits in the year after (A)TE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there are no generally accepted guidelines on the indications for (A)TE in Belgium, the current practice effectively reduced the need for medical care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Ziekenhuis Oost Limburg, Genk, Belgium. nele.lemkens@nko.be
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lemkens
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lemkens
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Egondi
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schrooten
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jorissen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mertens
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Raeve
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Preal
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Debruyne
mesh_terms: D000233:Adenoidectomy; D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014068:Tonsillectomy; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents