gms | German Medical Science

Introduction: Our study evaluates risk factors on postoperative outcome of patients operated for tonsil hypertrophy using radiofrequency tonsil reduction.

Method: Prospective nonrandomized study on patients operated in ENT Clinic of CF Clinical Hospital Cluj between 2008 and 2011 for tonsil hypertrophy in cases of snoring and obstructive sleep apneea. Nine parameters were evaluated for association with recurrence: age, gender, smoking, asthma, allergy, recurrent tonsillitis, previous surgery (nasal, sinusal or adenoid), history of multiple nonsurgical treatments, gastroesophageal reflux. Patients with immunodeficiency, tonsil tumors, previous tonsil surgery were excluded. Reccurence – tonsillar regrowth after reduction. Statistical analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, LOG-rank test and Cox proportional hazard model.

Results: The group included 132 patients, 85 males and 47 females, male/female 1.80:1. Age ranged from 18 and 67 years, average 41.6. 17 patients (12.87%) had asthma, 34 (25.75%) gastroesophageal reflux, 27 (20.45%) allergy. Smoking in 49 patients (37.12%), history of multiple non surgical treatments in 87 (65.90%), history of previous surgery in 37 (28.03%), recurrent tonsilitis in 49 (37.12%). Recurrence was in 9 cases (6.81%). Complications: minor hemorrhage in 6 cases (4.54%). After univariate analysis only smoking, allergy and recurrent tonsillitis were found to be associated with recurrence. In multivariate analysis smoking and recurrent tonsillitis were found to be independent predictive factors of recurrence.

Conclusions: By studying the prognostic factors we may obtain a more accurate preoperative documentation, which will facilitate better identification of groups of patients who are susceptible of recurrence.

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