The pediatric indications for tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy: Race/ethnicity, age, and gender

Abstract

Objective To evaluate how pediatric indications for tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy relate to gender, race/ethnicity, and age. Methods Included consecutive pediatric patients who underwent tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy from a single tertiary academic institution between 2012 and 2019. Logistic regression analysis was used to measure association between the indication for tonsillectomy and the demographic variables gender, race/ethnicity, and age. Results Of the 1106 children included in this study, 53% were male and 47% were female. Half of the children were White, 40% were African American, 6% were Hispanic and 4% were other. The most common indication for surgery was upper airway obstruction alone (66%), followed by obstruction and infection (22%), and recurrent infections (12%). We found that male gender (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.24–2.04), African American race (OR 2.76, 95% CI 2.08–3.65), and younger age were associated with greater odds of presenting with upper airway obstruction as the indication for tonsillectomy. Conversely, male gender (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.44–0.92), African American race (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.26–0.61), and younger age were associated with lower odds of presenting with recurrent infection as the indication for tonsillectomy. Conclusions Male gender, African American race, and young age are risk factors for tonsillar surgery due to airway obstruction. Female gender, White race, and older age are risk factors for tonsillar surgery due to recurrent throat infections. Level of Evidence 3

Tonsillectomy as Prevention of Tonsil and Base of Tongue Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis on the Immuno-Oncological Effect of One Among the Most Common Surgeries in the World

“…Despite such omitted data, in 2019 TE was the twelfth most common surgical procedure in the world (11,12). Certainly, upper airway obstruction and recurrent infections represent the leading indications to TE in children (13). What is less known about TE, however, is its relationship with cancer (14).…”

Clinical Impact of Preoperative Tonsil and Adenoid Size on Symptomatic Outcomes Following Adenotonsillectomy in Pediatric Patients

“…Additionally, the size of adenoids can be assessed using an endoscopic grading scale as per the study by Cassano et al [7]. Numerous studies have demonstrated a clear correlation between the preoperative size of tonsils and adenoids and obstructive symptoms [7][8][9][10].…”