Preoperative and postoperative psychosomatic analysis in children with adenoidectomy and adenotonsillectomy operations

OBJECT In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of these factors by administering questionnaires that are used for assessing psychological disorders both pre- and post-operatively in children undergoing adenoidectomy or adenotonsillectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study included 41 children aged 6-12 years that underwent adenoidectomy alone, 41 children aged 6-12 years that underwent adenotonsillectomy alone, and a group 40 healthy children aged 6-12 years. The questionnaires including in children including The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Parent Version, The Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) Parent Version, The Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ), and The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Parent Version were administered in all three groups both pre- and post-operatively to assess the impact of the factors on the psychological health of the children. RESULTS In the children that underwent adenoidectomy/adenotonsillectomy due to sleep apnea caused by recurrent infection and adeno/adenotonsillar hypertrophy, a significant decrease was found in the SDQ, SCRED, and PSQ scores while a significant increase was found in the PedsQL scores postoperatively. CONCLUSION In the children presenting with sleep apnea caused by recurrent attacks of infection and adeno/adenotonsillar hypertrophy, prompt administration of adenoidectomy/adenotonsillectomy will not only prevent neurobehavioral disorders that may become further complicated in later stages but also may reduce sleep disorders and improve the quality of life of the children. KEY WORDS Adenotonsillectomy, adenotonsillar hypertrophy, attention deficit, anxiety, quality of life, sleep disorder