Preoperative Albuterol Reduces Respiratory Complications in Pediatric Tonsillectomy

Children undergoing tonsillectomy frequently experience perioperative respiratory complications. Presurgical albuterol treatment has not shown benefit among children in a general surgical population but may help for airway-specific procedures such as tonsillectomy.

Researchers randomized 484 children aged 1 to 9 years undergoing tonsillectomy to receive two actuations of albuterol or placebo by inhaler just before surgery; group assignment was triple-blinded (researchers, treatment team, and patient). The primary outcome was incidence of any perioperative respiratory complication, and secondary outcomes were incidence of specific complications (bronchospasm, laryngospasm, coughing, oxygen desaturation <95%, obstruction, or stridor).

Children …