Anti-reflux Control to Decrease Post Tonsillectomy Pain

The study aims to determine if treating pediatric patients (age 7-17) for four weeks with omeprazole prior to tonsillectomy will decrease post tonsillectomy pain. The hypothesis is that many patients have silent laryngopharyngeal reflux and by reducing the acid entrance into the oropharynx, patients will have less post tonsillectomy pain due to decreased acid irritation of the surgical wound (tonsil fossas). The study will be a prospective double blind randomized study. Participants will be invited to participate in the study by giving the study information at the preoperative assessment, when the decision is made to have a tonsillectomy performed. If the patient agrees to participate in the study, a written consent and child assent will be obtained and the patient will be randomly assigned to a treatment versus control group based on the randomly assigned participant number. The treatment group will then be given a four week course of omeprazole to be taken for the four weeks prior to tonsillectomy. The patient will be given a post tonsillectomy assessment form. The form looks at postoperative pain (using a visual analog scale 1-10) as well as oral intake at postoperative day 0,1,3,5,7,10, and 14. The form will be turned in at the postoperative visit or mailed in. The pain level and oral intake between the two groups to will be compared to determine if antireflux control helps decrease the postoperative pain after tonsillectomy.