title: Post-tonsillectomy pain control: consensus or controversy?
abstract: Pediatric post-tonsillectomy analgesia continues to be highly debated and an area of active research. Tonsillectomy pain can lead to significant patient morbidity, and incur potentially avoidable healthcare costs. Moreover, the various analgesic classes, each present their own risk profiles and unique side effects when used in children post-tonsillectomy. This review delineates the clinical and pathophysiological basis for post-tonsillectomy pain, types of analgesics and their risk profiles, as well as special considerations in this clinical population and a review of alternative analgesic treatment options. This article presents a summary of recent literature and discusses evidence-based management options to aid medical and allied health professionals who may encounter these patients.
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Division, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8, Canada.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Division, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8, Canada.
authors.forename: Doron D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Sommer
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics
keywords: adenotonsillectomy; analgesia; nonsteroidal; opioid; pain; pediatric; safety; tonsillectomy