Effect of tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy on pulmonary arterial pressure in adults

The aim of the study was to determine the mean pulmonary pressure in adult with hypertrophic tonsils and adenoids and to clarify whether tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy has any effect on mean pulmonary arterial pressure of these adult. The study was carried out on 50 patients with diagnosis of upper airway obstruction resulting from hypertrophied tonsils and adenoids (group1). 25 adults were assigned as control with similar age and sex distribution (group2). For study subjects Routine general Examinations, BMI, ECG, Chest X ray, Arterial blood gases and Echocardiography were done. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure was measured by using Doppler Echocardiography preoperatively and mean 3-4 months postoperatively in all subjects. Elevated PAP (pulmonary artery pressure) was found in 15 patients (30%) in group 1 preoperatively. Mean PAP was 28.34 +/- 5.11 mmHg preoperative in group 1 and 19.84 +/- 5.0 mmHg in group 2 (p < 0.001). PAP decrease to 22.38 +/- 4.28 mmHg postoperatively in group 1 (p < 0.001). Arterial oxygen saturation (spo2%) increase from 93.5 +/- 1.9% preoperatively to 95.3 +/- 1.3% post operatively (p < 0.001). percent reduction of PAP postoperatively correlates to age (t=-2.3, p= 0.02), preoperative PAP (p =0.01) but no correlation was found with BMI. In conclusions, this Study showed that obstructed adenoid and hypertrophy of tonsils causes higher mean pulmonary artery pressure in adult & revealed that tonsil& adenoid is effective therapeutic measure in such patients. With early intervention is necessary to avoid progressive cardiopulmonary disease.