Objective: To investigate the changes of humoral and cellular immune responses in children with OSAHS after adenoidectomy with tonsil ablation or partial tonsillectomy by a plasma-mediated radiofrequency-based device.
Method: Seventy children with OSAHS were enrolled in the study. According to the size of tonsils, they were divided into two groups: the adenoidectomy with tonsil ablation group and the adenoidectomy with partial tonsillectomy group. 4 ml of peripheral venous blood was drawn before and 1 month, 3 months after operation. Serum IgG, IgA, IgM levels and peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets were measured.
Result: In the adenoidectomy with tonsil ablation group, the level of CD3+ and CD4+ /CD8+ ration were slightly increased, while the levels of CD4+ and CD8+ were slightly reduced at 1 month after operation as compared to preoperative period. However, in the adenoidectomy with partial tonsillectomy group, the levels of CD8+ at 1 month after operation were slightly increased compared with that in preoperative examination, while the CD3+, CD4+ level and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio were slightly reduced during the same period. In addition, the levels of serum immunoglobulins showed no significant difference between the two groups, and returned to the preoperative levels at 3 months after operation in both groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that the humoral and cellular immunity is not affected in children with OSAHS who undergo adenoidectomy with tonsil ablation or partial tonsillectomy using plasma-mediated radiofrequency ablation. The patients' immune functions can return to normal levels at 3 months after the surgery.