[Effects of adenotonsillectomy on pulmonary arterial pressure]

ABSTRACT

There are several studies which have shown that adenotonsillar hypertrophy can cause airway obstruction, chronic alveolar hypoventilation and even may lead to severe cardiopulmonary complications like pulmonary artery hypertension. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of adenotonsillectomy on pulmonary arterial pressure in children with hypertrophic tonsils and adenoids. fourty children [21 males, 19 females] aged between 4 and 14 [mean 7/9 +/- 2/3] years with a diagnosis of upper airway obstruction due to hypetrophied tonsils and adenoids were included in our study. Pulmonary arterial pressure was measured by Doppler echocardiography both preoperatively, and 6 weeks after operation. Preoperative pulmonary arterial pressure [PAP] was 26/1 +/- 3/9 mmHg and postoperative PAP was 25/9 +/- 5 mmHg. Although in two cases out of three ones who had raised preoperative PAP, adenotonsillectomy resulted in decreasing the pressure, but there was no statistically significant difference between pre-operative and post-operative echocardiographic findings. It seems that whilst increasing of pulmomary arterial pressure [owing to Adenotonsillar hypertrophy], adenotonsillectomy can be of beneficial outcomes in decreasing this pressure