The effect of tonsillotomy on chronic recurrent tonsillitis in children

• Published in: Acta oto-laryngologica Vol. 137; no. 9; pp. 992 - 996
• Main Authors: Foki, Elisabeth, Seemann, Rudolf, Stelter, Klaus, Lill, Claudia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 02.09.2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; inflammation; Male; Palatine Tonsil - surgery; post-tonsillectomy complications; Recurrence; Retrospective Studies; throat infections; Tonsil surgery; Tonsillitis - surgery; throat infections; post-tonsillectomy complications; inflammation; Tonsil surgery
• ISSN: 0001-6489; 1651-2251; 1651-2251
• DOI: 10.1080/00016489.2017.1322712

Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine whether partial tonsillectomy (tonsillotomy) impacts the occurrence of acute or recurrent tonsillitis in children. Methods: One hundred and eighty patients (1-14 years) were retrospectively surveyed by a questionnaire or by data analysis of a regional database. Subjects who suffered from severe systemic diseases or immunodeficiency syndromes were excluded. Episodes of acute tonsillitis before and after surgery, rate of antibiotic treatment, postoperative hemorrhage, and re-operation were obtained. Results: Fifty-one patients suffered from preoperative tonsillitis. The rate of reinfection was 9.8%. The frequency of tonsillitis was significantly reduced in children after tonsillotomy (p < .001). Further, tonsillotomy led to a significant reduction of antibiotic treatment (p < .001). The rate of definitive tonsillectomy was 1.1% and thus effectiveness was very high. About 1.7% of all children suffered from postoperative bleeding, of which one (0.6%) required surgical revision. None of the bleedings was life threatening. Conclusions: Tonsillotomy is beneficial for patients with recurrent tonsillitis and carries less risk of postoperative complications than tonsillectomy.