Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T23:47:02.688Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Unilateral immediate tonsillectomy as the treatment of peritonsillar abscess: Results, with special attention to pharyngitis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Per-Henrik Christensen*
Affiliation:
Odense, Denmark
Ulf Schønsted-Madsen
Affiliation:
Odense, Denmark
*
Per-Henrik Christensen, M.D., Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Odense University Hospital, DK-5000 Odense C, Denmark.

Abstract

The results of unilateral immediate tonsillectomy, as the routine treatment of peritonsillar abscess, were studies in 47 patients with no previous history of serious tonsillitis. The follow-up was carried out between three and four years after operation.

The incidence of tonsillitis in the contralateral tonsil remained unchanged and peritonsillar abscess did not occur in that tonsil. Symptoms of pharyngitis, periodic or chronic, were present in three patients only. This was found to be significantly lower than that found in the literature in a similar group of patients in whom bilateral immediate tonsillectomy had been performed.

The results are discussed and the authors recommend unilateral immediate tonsillectomy in cases of peritonsillar abscess in all patients with no previous history of serious tonsillitis, as this apparently prevents the troublesome side-effects of chronic pharyngitis.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Beeden, A. G., and Evans, J. N. G. (1970) Quinsy tonsillectomy—a further report. Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 84: 443448.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bonding, P. (1973) Tonsillectomy á chaud. Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 87: 11711182.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bonding, P. (1976) Routine abscess tonsillectomy. The Laryngoscope, 86: 286290.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cachin, Y. (1979) Diseases of the oropharynx. In Maran, A. G. D., and Stell, P. M., (Eds.), Clinical Otolaryngology. Oxford, Blackwell Scientific Publications, pp. 328339.Google Scholar
Falk, P., and Maurer, H. (1963) Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde Bd II, Teil I, Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, pp. 172173.Google Scholar
Grahne, B. (1958) Abscess tonsillectomy. Archives of Otolaryngology, 67: 332336.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mantel, N., and Haenszel, W. (1959) Statistical aspects of the analysis of data from retrospective studies of disease. International Cancer Institute, 22: 719748.Google ScholarPubMed
Muller, S. P. (1978) Peritonsillar abscess: A prospective study of pathogens, treatment and morbidity. Ear, Nose and Throat, 57: 439444.Google ScholarPubMed
Templer, J. W., Holinger, L. D., Wood, R. P., Tra, N. T., and De Blanc, G. B. (1977) Immediate tonsillectomy for the treatment of peritonsillar abscess. The American Journal of Surgery, 134: 596598.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Virtanen, V. S. (1949) Tonsillectomy as treatment of acute peritonsillitis with clinical and statistical observations. Acta Otolaryngologica, Supplement 80: 144151.Google Scholar