Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy For Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Sickle Cell Anemia

ObjectiveTo 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).MethodsTwenty eight children with SCD and history of snoring, with or without adeno tonsillar hypertrophy, were evaluated for UAO and OSA.ResultsEight 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.ConclusionsT&A appears to be a safe, effective option to treat selected patients with OSA due to UAO in SCD children.