Hypertrophy of the tonsils and adenoids can be a significant problem for children with sickle cell anemia.
Tonsillar and adenoidal hypertrophy can result in:
(1) airway obstruction
(2) obstructive sleep apnea
(3) recurrent infection (chronic tonsillitis)
Oxygen desaturation and recurrent infection can trigger pain or vaso-occlusive crises.
Resection of enlarged tonsils and adenoids can result in significant clinical improvement.
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Specialty: Otolaryngology, Infectious Diseases, Surgery, general, Pedatrics, Genetics, Hematology Oncology