Paediatric otolaryngology--disease profile and characteristics of children in outpatient surgery.

Data were collected from 178 consecutively operated children during a 6-week period at an Oslo hospital in order to study disease profile and routines for referral and treatment in outpatient otorhinolaryngologic surgery. Median time from referral to surgery was less than 4 months. The majority of the children subjected to operation for recurrent acute otitis media, tonsillitis or upper respiratory infections had suffered from the disease for 12 months or less. Obstructive symptoms were registered in 18% of the children. Hospital referrals and controls came mainly from ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialists or paediatricians. Significantly more boys were subjected to surgery. Median age at the time of surgery was 4.2 years, and there was an equal distribution of pharyngeal and middle ear surgery. The numerous combinations of middle ear surgery reflect the non-specific treatment guidelines for otitis media.

Paediatric otolaryngology--a parental satisfaction study in outpatient surgery.

A parental satisfaction survey was administered to obtain information as to exactly how patients and their parents experience essential aspects of their treatment. The parents of 178 children who underwent ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery completed a questionnaire on various aspects of treatment satisfaction during a 6-week period. Most of the respondents expressed overall satisfaction with the treatment. The factor analysis revealed three parental satisfaction factors. Accordingly, we interpreted the subscales as i) surgical staff and general treatment satisfaction, ii) nursing staff and general information satisfaction and iii) anaesthetic staff satisfaction. The internal consistency values of the subscales, as measured by Cronbach's alpha coefficient, were 0.86, 0.84 and 0.71, respectively. The three scores were mutually correlated; this correlation was significant (0.46-0.67). The duration of general anaesthesia and demographic factors had a small, but significant impact on the satisfaction subscores. In conclusion, the satisfaction study encourages improvement in the evaluation and administration of treatment.

Quality of care in pediatric daycare surgery: a cross-sectional study.

To provide information on how patients and their parents experience essential aspects of daycare otorhinolaryngologic surgery, a cross sectional questionnaire-based study on parental treatment satisfaction at the time of hospital discharge was performed. The main outcome measures were various aspects of treatment satisfaction in 178 consecutively children operated in a community hospital in Oslo, Norway. Overall treatment satisfaction was found. The factor analysis revealed three factors of parental satisfaction. Accordingly, we found the subscales interpreted as: (1) surgical staff and general treatment satisfaction; (2) nursing staff and general information satisfaction; and (3) anaesthetic staff satisfaction. The internal consistency of the subscales measured by the Chronbach's alpha coefficient were 0.86, 0.84 and 0.71, respectively. The three scores were significantly intercorrelated (0. 46-0.67). Parental treatment satisfaction was significantly influenced by demographic and anaesthetic factors. In conclusion, although outpatient pediatric otolaryngologic surgery aim at maximising the efficacy, overall treatment satisfaction was found in our study. Furthermore, the surgical, nursing and anaesthetic staff were identified as three separate quality dimensions.

[Pediatric day surgery of the respiratory tract--indications and prioritization]. / Dagkirurgi i øvre luftveier hos barn--indikasjoner og prioritering.

Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) procedures are the most common types of surgery in children and include adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, myringotomy, ventilation tube insertion or combinations of these. In order to study disease profile and routines for referral and treatment in outpatient otolaryngologic surgery, data were collected from 178 children operated consecutively during a six-week period in 1998. Median time from referral to surgery was less than four months. The majority of children operated for recurrent acute otitis media, tonsillitis or upper respiratory infections had suffered from the disease for 12 months or less. Obstructive symptoms were registered in 18% of these children. Most patients were referred to the hospital by specialists in otolaryngology or paediatric medicine. Surgery was more common in male than female-children, and median age at the time of surgery was 4.2 years. There was an equal distribution of middle ear and pharyngeal surgery.