Developmental Delay Tied to Higher Complication Rate With Tonsillectomy

WEDNESDAY, March 22, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Children with developmental delay (DD) have a significantly higher complication rate with tonsillectomy compared with children without DD, according to a study published in the January issue of the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology.

Jordan B. Luttrell, M.D., from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, and colleagues retrospectively reviewed the charts of 400 children undergoing tonsillectomy during a one-year period to assess the relationship between DD and postoperative complications.

The researchers identified 56 patients with a diagnosis of DD. Complications were higher in the DD population (32.14 percent) versus the control group (8.72 percent). Additionally, children with DD had a higher incidence of comorbidities, complication with comorbidities, and incidence of prematurity, but they did not have an increased length of stay or complications if premature. There was a higher incidence of complication associated with a preoperative polysomnogram in the overall population, but children with DD did not have a higher preoperative obstructive apnea-hypopnea index versus control patients.

"This elevated risk should at least be included in preoperative counseling, but additionally has potential implications for preoperative decision-making and treatment plans in this high-risk population," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text