2016 Volume 29 Issue 2 Pages 163-167
We report herein on an infant with respiratory and feeding disorders due to severe unilateral palatine tonsillar hypertrophy. A female infant at the age of 1.5 month presented with inspiratiory stridor and retractive breathing. Poor weight gain and right palatine tonsillar hypertrophy were noticed in a health examination at the age of three month. The patient was referred to our department at the age of four month, and chronic respiratory and feeding disorders were diagnosed. Tracheostomy was performed at the age of five months, since the respiratory condition had severely deteriorated and the poor body weight gain was persistent. Respiratory symptoms disappeared and weight gain was achieved after the tracheostomy. However, the right palatine tonsillar hypertrophy gradually enlarged and upper airway stenosis developed. The tracheostomy orifice could not be closed. A right palatine tonsillectomy to improve the upper airway and respiratory condition was undertaken at the age of 13 months. The tracheostomy orifice could be closed without any trouble after the tonsillectomy. in infancy, it is rare that tonsillar hypertrophy causes chronic respiratory and feeding disorders. We deliberate the course of the treatment and discuss the case with a review of the literature.
