Effect of adenotonsillectomy on arterial blood gases and acid-base balance.

Adenotonsillitis is quite common in children in India and untreated cases may land up with serious cardiopulmonary complications which promoted us to study arterial blood gases and acid-base balance in these patients. The study was conducted in 30 children with chronic adenotonsillitis and 30 age and sex matched controls. Arterialized capillary blood samples were taken before and 1 month after surgery while the subject was sleeping. Relative hypoxemia, rise in pCO2 and increased bicarbonates was observed in the study group, whereas change in pH was insignificant. The study showed that ventilatory impairment associated with adenotonsillar hypertrophy which manifests as hypoxia, hypercarbia and raised bicarbonate levels was reversed after adenotonsillectomy.