Immediate tonsillectomy for peritonsillar abscess.

Abstract

The usual treatment for peritonsillar abscess (PTAs) in Japan is antibiotic therapy, drainage and incision followed by tonsillectomy several weeks later. This is a retrospective study of cases treated by immediate tonsillectomy (IT) for PTAs between January 1990 and February 1995 in our hospital. There were 119 cases, 94 male and 25 female, ranging in age from 14 to 76 years (average: 36.6). In all cases, we performed CT scan, which is the most reliable diagnostic method for PTAs. Five of the 119 cases were treated by IT under general anesthesia. All five were male and their ages ranged from 50 to 62 years (average: 56.2). Two patients had diabetes mellitus. Bacteriological study revealed alpha-Streptcoccus in 1 case, but the others showed no remarkable findings. Anaerobacteria were not found in any patient. IT under general anesthesia is preferable for advanced PTAs.