Boosting safety and recovery for young tonsillectomy patients through research into risk factors
09/09/2021
Greater understanding of risk factors is key to boosting safety and recovery for thousands of young tonsillectomy patients according to a Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) researcher.
Consultant Respiratory and Sleep Paediatrician Dr Mon Ohn has been awarded funding to co-lead the ‘Nightowl’ project which will assess the degree of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a common childhood sleep breathing disorder, for a group of tonsillectomy patients before and after their surgery.
Dr Ohn said there are potentially enormous benefits for both clinicians and families from this project because tonsillectomies are one of the most common surgical procedures performed in WA and 95 per cent of these surgeries are due to OSA rather than tonsillitis.
“We know that while parents generally see significant improvement in their children’s sleep following a tonsillectomy, we also know that kids with OSA have more breathing problems during surgery and in post-surgical recovery,” Dr Ohn said.
“Collecting respiratory and sleep related risk data about children before and during their surgery could pave the way for more personalised treatment of patients leading to fewer complications, faster recovery and potentially reduce the duration of their hospital stay,” she said.
This study is aiming to assess and manage the risk factors through using a range of new technologies such as a 3-dimentional facial photography, sleep activity measurement and a device to measure airway floppiness during the surgical procedure.
Approximately 60 children aged 1 to 8 years will be recruited into the study. A follow up sleep study will be conducted post-surgery while the child is recovering in hospital.
Sharon O’Neill was delighted her five year old daughter Sarah Jay was able to participate in the study particularly because she suspected sleep apnoea was an issue.
“Participating in a sleep study before and after her tonsillectomy, as part of the study, gave us more information about her breathing difficulties and peace of mind that she was closely monitored throughout her hospital stay.
“Overall we’re grateful to all the staff involved. We had a fantastic experience at PCH and Sarah Jay has gone from strength to strength since then,” Mrs O’Neill said.
The study is a collaborative effort between all specialities looking after children undergoing tonsillectomies at PCH including clinician scientists from the departments of Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine,
Respiratory and Sleep Medicine and Ear Nose and Throat in conjunction with researchers from the University of Western Australia, Curtin University and the Telethon Kids Institute.
Dr Ohn is one of three WA Health clinicians awarded a 2020 Department of Health Raine Medical Research Foundation Clinician Research Fellowship.
The program is an initiative of the Department of Health and Raine Medical Research Foundation that enables clinicians to pursue research of relevance to the WA Health system.
Image | (l-r) Research participant Sarah-Jay O’Neill pictured with her mum Sharon and (left-right) Nightowl lead researcher and Consultant Dr Mon Ohn and Research Assistant and Respiratory Sleep Scientist Julie Nguyen and Research Assistant Emily Bell.
Last Updated:
01/10/2021