Tonsillar Hyperplasia and Malnutrition, Literature Review About a Case

Abstract

Sleep respiratory disorders associated with tonsillar hyperplasia are highly prevalent in the pediatric population. Their clinical presentation is varied, being snoring the most common. A less common presentation is dysphagia and weight loss. In this context, certain causes must be considered, including malignancies. The management is primarily surgical, with adenotonsillectomy being the first-line treatment. It is crucial to make an early diagnosis and provide timely treatment to prevent future neurocognitive, metabolic, and cardiovascu­lar complications. This report presents the case of a 5-year-old girl with a history of asthma and progressive weight loss, associated with nocturnal respiratory symptoms such as snoring and apnea episodes. After a thorough evaluation that ruled out other causes of weight loss, severe tonsillar hyperplasia was identified as the underlying cause of her obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). The patient underwent adenotonsillectomy, resul­ting in the cessation of snoring, weight recovery, and significant improvement in her asth­marelated respiratory symptoms.