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Simple solution that could HALF the need for children to have tonsil removal surgery
- More than 40,000 children have their tonsils removed each year
- The six-week trial involved 276 children, aged 3 to 12 years.
- Saline nasal spray resolved 40 percent of cases
A simple nasal spray could halve the number of children who have surgery to remove their tonsils, according to a new study.
Research led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and published in JAMA Pediatrics on Tuesday found that the saline nasal spray was as effective as the anti-inflammatory steroid nasal spray in treating children with breathing difficulties.
The six-week trial involved 276 children, ages three to 12, who were administered a saline spray into each nostril daily.
The study found that about 40 percent of children experiencing snoring or breathing difficulties had their symptoms resolved, and about half no longer needed surgery.
Associate Director of the Melbourne Children’s Trials Center at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Associate Professor Kirsten Perrett, said the results are “fantastic” and could halve the number of children needing surgery.
More than 40,000 children undergo a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy in Australia each year (file image)
A study led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne found that saline nasal spray (file image of a saline spray) resolved symptoms in 40 per cent of children, with those needing surgery reduced by half.
Professor Perrett said the institute was forced to find alternatives to surgery as public hospitals struggle with long waiting lists.
“Every year more than 40,000 Australian children have their tonsils and adenoids removed and the majority is for this problem, snoring,” Professor Perrett told 3AW.
‘It is a very expensive procedure. It is painful, can cause bleeding, and is a significant burden on hospital resources.
“We have tried a very simple and effective treatment for this problem to try to avoid surgery.
“The results are fantastic…so that’s the 40 percent of kids who don’t need to go ahead and have a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy.”
The professor urged parents concerned about their children’s snoring or breathing difficulties to talk to their GP about using a nasal spray.
She hopes the study will encourage GPs to use saline nasal sprays as the “first-line step” in treating children.
Associate Professor Kirsten Perrett (pictured) said the results were “fantastic” and hopes the research will encourage clinicians to use saline nasal sprays as the “first-line step” in treating children with snoring or breathing difficulties. to breathe.
Evidence shows that snoring and breathing difficulties in children cause long-term problems, including impaired cognitive functions and reduced cardiovascular health.
Professor Perrett said the long-term effects make it an important condition in children that needs to be addressed.
An additional study is underway to explore who benefits from using an anti-inflammatory nasal spray instead of saline.
Families within the Melbourne metropolitan area who have children with respiratory difficulties and are interested in participating in the ‘MIST+’ trial are encouraged to register on the institute’s website.