Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for obstructive sleep apnea in sickle cell anemia

Objective: To evaluate the effects of Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy (T&A) on Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) secondary to Upper Airway Obstruction (UAO) in children with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). Methods: Twenty eight children with SCD and history of snoring, with or without adeno tonsillar hypertrophy, were evaluated for UAO and OSA. Results: Eight children were confirmed to have OSA by multichannel polysomnography and underwent T&A. Follow up examination showed symptomatic clinical and objective improvement in sleep study parameters in OSA. Conclusions: T&A appears to be a safe, effective option to treat selected patients with OSA due to UAO in SCD children.