Routine post-operative intensive care is not necessary for children with obstructive sleep apnea at high risk after adenotonsillectomy

Objectives

Post-operative respiratory adverse events (AE) are frequent in children having adenotonsillectomy (AT) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Many hospitals have a policy of routine admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) after surgery for children at highest risk. We aimed to determine the frequency and severity of post-operative AE in children admitted to ICU, to assess the appropriateness of this care plan.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was carried out all children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit after AT for OSA from January 2007 to December 2009. AE were classified as mild, including requirement for supplemental O₂ or repositioning to improve airway or severe, including bag and mask ventilation, CPAP, re-intubation, placement of oropharyngeal airway or unplanned ICU admission for airway compromise.

Results

72 children were identified (21 female, median age 2.8 years). There were 29 AE in 26 patients (36%), including 23 (31.9%) who suffered a mild AE and 6 (8.3%) who had a severe AE. Age, sex, the presence of co-morbidity or the presence of severe OSA did not predict severe AE in this group. Median time to first AE was 165 min. Four of the six severe AE occurred in the post-anesthetic care unit (PACU). There were 60 children who did not have an AE in PACU, of whom 59 did not have a severe AE in the post-operative period, giving a negative predictive value for no worse than a mild AE following an uncomplicated course in PACU of 98.3%.

Conclusions

Our data confirm high rates of AE after AT for high risk patients, however, only 8% suffered a severe AE truly necessitating care in ICU. This outcome was very unlikely if an AE did not occur in PACU. We therefore conclude that routine post-operative ICU care for high risk children may be avoided if prolonged monitoring in the PACU is possible, with admission to ICU reserved for high-risk children with an early AE.