ADULT OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP-APNEA SYNDROME AND TONSILLECTOMY

A surgical cure for adult obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is an attractive alternative to nasal continuous positive airway pressure , but current research suggests that uvulopalatopharyngoplasty is not effective in all patients. No subgroup of these patients, who might be nefit from surgery to the oropharynx, has as yet been identified. In t his study we examined the results of tonsillectomy either as an isolat ed procedure or as part of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty in seven patients , who had tonsillomegaly. In all seven there was a short-term improvem ent between the pre-operative and post-operative apnoea/hypoapnoea (A/ H) index (100-65 per cent), which could not be accounted for by change in the body mass index (BMI). In one patient a diagnosis of Non-Hodgk in's lymphoma was made from histological examination of the tonsils. T he results suggest that adult patients with tonsillomegaly may represe nt a subgroup of patients with OSAS, who would benefit from surgery ai med at the oropharynx.