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Paediatric tonsillectomy: parental experience and outcomes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 June 2008

P J Robb*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
K Gowrinath
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
K Agyeman
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
J Joseph
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr Peter J Robb, Department of Otolaryngology, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, Epsom, Surrey KT18 7EG, UK. Fax: 01372 735316 E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate parental experience, satisfaction and outcomes following their child's tonsillectomy surgery.

Design:

Structured postal questionnaire sent to the parents or guardians of 77 sequential children undergoing elective day-case tonsillectomy.

Subjects:

Seventy-seven children with a mean age of 6.25 years (range three to 17 years) undergoing day-case tonsillectomy predominantly for recurrent acute tonsillitis, upper airway obstruction or a combination of these symptoms; 63.6 per cent of the parents or guardians of these children responded to the questionnaire.

Results:

There was overall satisfaction with the operation, and positive health outcomes.

Conclusions:

Despite the current public health agenda to limit access to routine high volume operations such as childhood tonsillectomy on economic grounds, the users of this service rated the outcomes and benefits of the procedure highly.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2008

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