The safety of early administration of oral fluid following general anesthesia in children undergoing tonsillectomy: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Background: The feasibility and safety of administrating a small amount of oral fluid to children in the early recovery period following tonsillectomy under general anesthesia to reduce the thirst and its associated restlessness remain unknown.

Methods: This study was approved by the institutional ethics committee and adhered to the CONSORT guidelines. Pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria of our study were randomized into the study and control groups. In the study group, patients were given a small amount of water instantly after recovering from general anesthesia, which included the recovery of the cough and deglutition reflex, and attaining grade V of muscle strength. The control group was given a small amount of water at 4 to 6 h after the operation. The incidence of nausea and vomiting and the degree of thirst relief were measured and compared between the two groups.

Results: Three hundred patients were randomized into each group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of nausea and vomiting at 20 min after drinking water between the two groups (P > 0.05). The thirst score of children over 5 years old in the study group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Early administration of a small amount of oral fluid to children following tonsillectomy and recovering from general anesthesia is not only safe but also effective in reducing postoperative thirst.

Trial Registration: Current Controlled Trials ChiCTR1800020058 , 12-12-2018.