title: Role of paediatric intensive care following adenotonsillectomy for severe obstructive sleep apnoea: criteria for elective admission.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to critically review our criteria for elective admission to the paediatric intensive care unit following adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnoea.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed 122 children electively admitted between 1997 and 2011. During this time, our criteria for admission evolved.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In these 122 children, the respiratory disturbance index during rapid eye movement sleep ranged from 6 to 159 (mean, 83). Forty-one per cent of the children had a recognised co-morbidity. Nine children required extra intervention, i.e. in addition to re-positioning and/or supplemental oxygen. One child was an unplanned re-admission after discharge from the paediatric intensive care unit. Over the same period, five children required unplanned transfers into the paediatric intensive care unit following adenotonsillectomy for sleep-disordered breathing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based upon these results, we describe our current criteria for elective admission to the paediatric intensive care unit following adenotonsillectomy for severe obstructive sleep apnoea.
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Department, John Hunter Children's Hospital, New Lambton, Australia. walkerp@pg.com.au
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Whitehead
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rowley
mesh_terms: D000233:Adenoidectomy; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D010343:Patient Admission; D018579:Patient Selection; D017286:Polysomnography; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012895:Sleep, REM; D014068:Tonsillectomy