Abscess tonsillectomy for acute peritonsillar abscess

Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is a common but potentially serious complication of acute exudative tonsillitis. Several treatment guidelines have been described including needle aspiration, incision and drainage or abscess tonsillectomy. From January 1996 to September 2000 145 patients (53 female and 92 male, age range 3-95 years) were treated for PTA at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery of the MLU Halle-Wittenberg, Germany. The highest incidence of PTA was observed in the second and third decades of life. Immediate abscess tonsillectomy was performed in 105 cases. This procedure, considered as safe and easy, has a lot of advantages. Compared with other treatments, it removes the abscess with amelioration of the trismus and dysphagia. Needle aspiration as the initial and only treatment was performed in 13 patients. In 20 patients without clinical improvement after aspiration, abscess tonsillectomy was undertaken. We conclude that immediately performed abscess tonsillectomy is an effective and safe treatment for peritonsillar abscess.