Coblation® intracapsular tonsillectomy (tonsillotomy) in children: A prospective study of 500 consecutive cases with long-term follow-up.

OBJECTIVES: Intracapsular tonsillectomy (tonsillotomy) has been used internationally, mainly in the management of obstructive sleep apnoea, rather than recurrent tonsillitis, with few published data evaluating its use for this latter indication. We present long-term prospective data from 500 paediatric cases undergoing Coblation® intracapsular tonsillectomy, for both obstructive and infective indications. DESIGN: Prospective case series, March 2013-January 2016, all with completed follow-up. SETTING: Tertiary paediatric otolaryngological practice. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 500 consecutive patients (6 months to 18 years, mean 5.1 years) undergoing Coblation® intracapsular tonsillectomy (with or without adenoidectomy), for obstructive and/ or infective indications, almost exclusively under the care of the senior author (DJT). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Validated parent-reported T-14 tonsil symptom questionnaires were used in all cases pre- and postoperatively, including in the long term. Parents also recorded duration of analgesia, time to return to school, any complications and whether they would recommend the procedure. RESULTS: With a mean follow-up 7.4 months, symptom control has been excellent (mean total T-14 score (/70) 31.01 preoperatively, 2.68 postoperatively, P<.0000001), with similar trends for obstructive and infective domains. Two small secondary haemorrhages required readmission and observation only (0.4%); otherwise, no complications, delayed discharges or readmissions occurred; 12/500 (2.4%) have since undergone revision tonsil surgery, 10 for obstructive and 2 for infective symptoms, the majority in very young children, with revision adenoidectomy at the same time. More than 99% of parents would recommend the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience of this technique has been very positive, with excellent control of both obstructive and infective symptoms, and exceptionally low rates of complications. Further work will be required to allow conclusive demonstration of its advantages over extracapsular tonsillectomy.

Accuracy of clinical assessment of paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea in two English centres.

OBJECTIVES: To ascertain the sensitivity and specificity of clinical diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea in children, and to determine if a published clinical algorithm identifies those at high risk of post-adenotonsillectomy complications. METHOD: Sixty-seven children aged three to eight years underwent clinical assessment and overnight polysomnography. RESULTS: Polysomnography detected a significant apnoea-hypopnoea index (i.e. > or =5, indicating significant obstructive sleep apnoea) in 13 (43 per cent) children with a clinical diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea and in six (19 per cent) children with no such diagnosis. The sensitivity of clinical assessment was 68.4 per cent and the specificity 59.5 per cent. The post-operative risk algorithm failed to identify any high risk children, although in actuality seven had severe obstructive sleep apnoea confirmed by polysomnography. CONCLUSIONS: This study of two English centres confirms that the clinical diagnostic process for obstructive sleep apnoea is reasonably insensitive and has low specificity. The studied algorithm discriminated poorly between children with and without severe obstructive sleep apnoea. Realistic diagnostic screening guidelines for paediatric sleep apnoea are overdue in the UK, where access to polysomnography is limited.

Laryngomalacia in a 12-year-old child after laryngeal mask use.

OBJECTIVE: We present an unusual case of a 12-year-old child with state-dependent laryngomalacia presenting after anaesthesia with a laryngeal mask airway. METHOD: Current literature on state-dependent laryngomalacia and injury following laryngeal mask use is reviewed. RESULTS: A child who had previously suffered with laryngomalacia as an infant presented with disturbed breathing at night and during exercise. After anaesthesia using a laryngeal mask airway, these symptoms became more pronounced. Microlaryngoscopy revealed laryngomalacic type movement of the larynx. CONCLUSION: Our case seems to support a more complex, multifactorial aetiology for laryngomalacia, including both the neurological control of the larynx as well as its structure.

Lessons learnt in the management of Wegener's Granulomatosis: long-term follow-up of 60 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess all patients with Wegener's Granulomatosis treated in Nottingham, with particular focus on relapse rate and the useful predictors of relapse. We evaluated how well the findings of nasal examination correlated with disease relapse compared to other parameters such as c-ANCA, ESR and CRP. Presenting features, diagnosis, adverse effects of treatment and mortality rate, were also studied. DESIGN: Retrospective examination of 60 patient notes, diagnosed and treated for Wegener's granulomatosis at Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham. The mean follow up period was 8.7 years. Relapse was defined as per the European Vasculitis Study criteria. RESULTS: cANCA is a useful test at presentation for diagnosis but a negative result does not rule out the disease. Those presenting with ENT symptoms alone may have less raised inflammatory markers but similar cANCA titres as patients with multi-system disease. However, at relapse, patients with ENT disease alone have similar levels of inflammatory markers as those with multi-system relapse. Nasal examination was useful at monitoring the presence of disease activity where the nasal lining is affected. CONCLUSIONS: Signs of intranasal disease in the form of granular tissue, erythema and bleeding to light touch and crusting over granulation tissue are good predictors of disease activity. A raised cANCA, ESR or CRP provide supporting information about disease activity but if they are negative this does not exclude active disease. cANCA levels were as elevated at relapse in patients who had isolated nasal symptoms and signs as in those with evidence of systemic disease. Low relapse rates were found possibly due to prompt and rigorous initial immunosuppression even in limited disease. This seemed to lead to less progression of patients to multi-system disease and hence a low mortality rate of 5%.