Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.
2008 Jun;51(6):562-565.
A Case of Treatment in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome in Children with Lingual Tonsillar Hypertrophy
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Eulji University, Eulji General Hospital, Seoul, Korea. eardoc11@eulji.ac.kr
- 2Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Eulji University, Eulji General Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
- 3Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Eulji University, Eulji General Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
- Lingual tonsillar hypertrophy can result in obstructive sleep apnea, chronic infection, and rarely, dysphagia, chronic cough, and globus sensation. In children with obstructive sleep apnea who do not respond to medical therapy, adenotonsillectomy is the main surgical option and reduction of lingual tonsils can be supplemented. Lingual tonsillectomy may be a difficult and excessively morbid procedure in the sleep apnea population because of difficult exposure, slow dissection, poor visualization, difficult hemostasis, airway edema and postoperative pain. This case report describes successful treatment of children with severe obstructive sleep apnea by lingual tonsillectomy for those who already have had adenotonsillectomy.