Tonsil and adenoid surgery for upper airway obstruction in children.

We studied the outcomes of 76 children, aged 3 to 12 years, with large tonsils and/or large adenoids who underwent surgery to relieve upper airway obstruction over a 1-year period. Following surgery, nearly all patients experienced an alleviation of all symptoms, except for enuresis. We suggest that children who have large tonsils and/or adenoids will gain substantial benefit if they are removed, even children who do not have a history of severe sleep apnea or objective evidence from polysomnography.