Adenoid and Tonsil Surgeries in Sokoto: A Nine-year Review

Background: Adenoidectomy, Tonsillectomy or both are common surgical procedures performed by Otorhinolaryngologist worldwide. The indications for the surgeries are numerous including recurrent infection and obstruction of the upper airways.

Aims and objectives: Audit intent and comparison with similar work.

Methodology: This was a 9-year retrospective study of the patients who had adenoidectomy, adenotonsillectomy and tonsillectomy from January 2007 to December 2015 at the Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) department of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, Nigeria. The case notes of the patients were retrieved from the hospital medical record department, and the biodata, indications, and types of adenoid and tonsil surgeries, surgical techniques, complications, and outcome of the surgeries were extracted. Data obtained was analysed by descriptive statistic using IBM.SPSS version 21.0

Results: A total of 123 patients were seen; comprising 88 (71.5%) children, 35 (28.5%) adults; male 51 (41.5%) and female 72 (58.5%) with a male to female ratio of 1:1.4 had adenoid and tonsil surgeries. The age ranged from six months to 50 years with the mean age of 11.9 years. Adenoidectomy alone was exclusively in children of 1-5-year age group, and nasal obstruction was the predominant indication. Similarly, adenotonsillectomy was also confined to children who were age ≤10 years, and OSA was the most frequent indication. Recurrent tonsillitis was the dominant indication for tonsillectomy alone among the children and the adults. Curettage adenoidectomy and cold steel tonsillectomy were the techniques employed, complications encountered were throat pain, convulsion and rhinolalia aperta.

Conclusion

Overall, the outcome was good. Therefore, the old traditional, cheap, effective curettage adenoidectomy and cold steel dissection tonsillectomy still have an important role in resource challenge developing country like Nigeria.Pre-operative transcranial Doppler ultrasonograhy in children with sickle cell anaemia may help in identifying those at risk of developing CVA and institute preventive measures.