The American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery has issued, for the first time, revised clinical guidelines for the surgical removal of tonsils in children, according to a news release from the AAO-HNS.
Under the new guidelines, physicians should typically only consider a tonsillectomy if a child has had a severe throat infection seven times in one year, five times a year in two years or three times a year in three years.
The guidelines also identify other cases when children may still benefit from tonsillectomy, and provide guidance on the appropriate use of dexamethasone during the procedure.
The multidisciplinary clinical practice guideline, "Tonsillectomy in Children", is published in the January issue of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery.
Read the AAO-HNS news release about the new guidelines for tonsillectomy (pdf).