ORIGINAL ARTICLE Alterations of the Oropharyngeal Microbial Flora After Adenotonsillectomy in Children

Objectives: To determine whether the oropharyngeal microbial flora changes after adenotonsillectomy (ATY) in children with mild to moderate symptoms of throat infections or adenotonsillar hypertrophy and to relate these findings to recurrence of throat infections. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Twenty-three general hospitals and 3 aca-demic centers. Patients: Three hundred children aged 2 to 8 years who were selected for ATY because of recurrent throat infec-tions (3-6 episodes per year) or obstructive complaints. Children with a history of 7 or more throat infections in the previous year and those with a high suspicion of ob-structive sleep apnea according to current medical prac-tice were excluded