Impact of Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy on Child Behavior and Quality of Life: A Prospective Study in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia

Objective: Adenotonsillectomy is one of the most common procedures performed in children. Its results, in terms of relieving airway obstruction and decreasing the recurrence of infection, are well documented; however, its impact on the child's behavior is not yet fully understood. Therefore, this study was aimed at estimating the impact of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy on child behavior and quality of life. Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted between July 2022 and February 2023. Children aged 2-11 years scheduled to undergo tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy were included in this study. The parents were required to complete a validated child behavior checklist (CBCL) preoperatively and 3 months after the operation. T-scores were used to estimate the impact of the intervention. Results: Parents of 30 children aged 2-11 years completed the CBCL before and after the operation. Seventy percentage of the patients underwent adenotonsillectomy and 26.7 underwent adenoidectomy. Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed significant differences between the pre- and postoperative internalizing, externalizing, and complete CBCL scores (P = 0.042, P = 0.032, and P = 0.005, respectively). Conclusion: Adenoidectomy with/without tonsillectomy resulted in a significant improvement in children's behavior, as reflected by the significant change in postoperative CBCL scores, and could reduce emotional and behavioral problems in pediatric patients within a short time after surgery. Keywords: Adenoid, adenoidectomy, hypertrophy, obstructive sleep apnea, tonsil, tonsillectomy