In children affected by obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), adenotonsillectomy is capable to solve the obstruction, but it does not seem to have any effect on behavioural problems linked to the syndrome. Some researchers have presented a questionnaire to the parents of 138 children (between 2 and 17) undergoing polysomnography for suspected OSAS. The adenotonsillectomy was performed in 65 children (out of 75) respecting OSAS diagnostic criteria and in 21 (out of 63) not respecting those criteria. About 3 years after surgery or polysomnography, the questionnaire was presented again to parents. Independently from diagnostic confirmation of OSAS, the parents of children undergoing surgery referred statistically significant improvements of sleep, breathing and quality of life. There was no improvement, instead, in school profit, neurological development, school concentration and enuresis.
According to the results of this trial (contrasting with the results of previous trials), adenotonsillectomy does not obtain behavioural improvements in children affected by OSAS. But in the trial randomization was not used and the parents were not blinded as to surgery, so results must be taken with a great caution.
