Episode # 262 • 24 Feb 2026
Systematic Approach to Pediatric OSA Management
Not every airway is a tonsil problem. Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea is often more nuanced than it appears, requiring thoughtful evaluation beyond routine surgery. In this episode of the BackTable ENT Podcast, pediatric otolaryngologist Dr. Tali Lando discusses managing pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with hosts Dr. Gopi Shah and Dr. Ashley Agan.
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
06:21 - When Noisy Breathing Signals More Than Tonsils
10:01 - When to Add DISE: Combining T&A with Airway Evaluation
18:08 - Turbinates, Septum and Nasal Valve Matter
22:03 - Red Flags in Clinic
29:12 - When Surgery Helps and When It Doesn’t
41:33 - Sleep Studies
43:09 - Down Syndrome and OSA
55:19 - Finding Hidden Sites of Airway Collapse
01:06:13 - Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation and Advanced Options
Resources
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More about this episode
Dr. Lando shares insights into her clinical practice, outlining a systematic approach to diagnosing and treating pediatric OSA, and emphasizing the value of sleep endoscopy. She explores the spectrum of interventions from adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy to complex airway evaluations and surgical management, while highlighting the roles of sleep studies, obesity, and emerging therapies such as hypoglossal nerve stimulation. Dr. Lando also reflects on balancing a busy clinical career with family life and discusses her two books, Hell & Back: Wife & Mother, Doctor & Patient, Dragon Slayer and Breathless: Surgical Tales from the Brink (and Back).
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