Gargi Pandey1, Joy Harris-Folb2, Charlotte Murkin3, Liam Sutton3, William Peter Flynn4, Nara Orban3, Yogesh Bajaj3. 1. Barts Health NHS Trust, Newham University Hospital, Glen Road, London, E13 8SL, UK. gargi.pandey@nhs.net. 2. Homerton University Hospital, Homerton Row, London, E9 6SR, UK. 3. Department of Paediatric and Adult ENT Surgery, The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1BB, UK. 4. Institute of Health Sciences Education, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) describes an irregular night-time breathing pattern that is present in approximately 1.8% of children and can have a negative impact on quality of life. The use of antibiotics postoperatively is controversial. They are commonly prescribed; however, they can also be associated with side effects and resistance. This study explores the role of antibiotics in the post-operative management of children with OSA in a cohort of children. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children undergoing surgery for OSA or sleep disordered breathing (SDB) at a tertiary paediatric ENT referral centre from November 2018 to November 2019. RESULTS: This study identified 382 children who had undergone surgical treatment for OSA or sleep disordered breathing (SDB); 319 underwent adenotonsillectomy, 53 adenoidectomy and 10 tonsillectomies. Antibiotics were given post-operatively to 158 (41%) patients and 18 (11%) of these patients presented to hospital with post-operative complications. A higher number of patients re-presented to hospital from the group who did not receive antibiotics (p = 0.982). Bleeding (p = 0.886) and infection (p = 0.823) were also more common in those children who did not receive antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Antibiotics led to fewer complications and re-presentations to hospital in children undergoing operative management of OSA; however, this trend was not found to be statistically significant.
PURPOSE:Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) describes an irregular night-time breathing pattern that is present in approximately 1.8% of children and can have a negative impact on quality of life. The use of antibiotics postoperatively is controversial. They are commonly prescribed; however, they can also be associated with side effects and resistance. This study explores the role of antibiotics in the post-operative management of children with OSA in a cohort of children. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children undergoing surgery for OSA or sleep disordered breathing (SDB) at a tertiary paediatric ENT referral centre from November 2018 to November 2019. RESULTS: This study identified 382 children who had undergone surgical treatment for OSA or sleep disordered breathing (SDB); 319 underwent adenotonsillectomy, 53 adenoidectomy and 10 tonsillectomies. Antibiotics were given post-operatively to 158 (41%) patients and 18 (11%) of these patients presented to hospital with post-operative complications. A higher number of patients re-presented to hospital from the group who did not receive antibiotics (p = 0.982). Bleeding (p = 0.886) and infection (p = 0.823) were also more common in those children who did not receive antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Antibiotics led to fewer complications and re-presentations to hospital in children undergoing operative management of OSA; however, this trend was not found to be statistically significant.