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Published on: January 10, 2015
[Smoking promotes the formation of peritonsillar abscesses]
G Lehnerdt1, K Senska, M Fischer
1Hals-Nasen-Ohrenklinik der Universität Duisburg-Essen. goetz.lehnerdt@uni-essen.de
Introduction:
Smoking has not properly been investigated as a predisposing factor for the development of a peritonsillar abscess.
Methods:
In a retrospective study a group of 541 abscess tonsillectomies--performed in the department of Otorhinolaryngology (University of Duisburg/Essen) between 1994-2003--was retrospectively analysed for smoking habits of the patients. Further on we investigated the influence of smoking on the risk for a postoperative haemorrhage.
Results:
Smoking habits of 519/541 were known, 296/519 (57%) were smokers, which is much more than expected with regard to the prevalence of smokers in the German population. Beneath the 2.2% of patients with a postoperative haemorrhage that had to be arrested under general anaesthesia no statistical relation between the occurrence of a postoperative haemorrhage and smoking was found.
Conclusion:
Smoking could be an important predisposing factor for the development of peritonsillar abscess e. g. due to alteration of the mucosa and microbiological changes. We could not identify a statistical relation between smoking and the risk of a postoperative haemorrhage after tonsillectomy à chaud.
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