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Updated: May 17, 2026
05:07
CO2-Lasertonsillotomy Under Local Anesthesia in Adults
Published on: November 6, 2019
A giant tonsillolith.
Sohit Kanotra1, Sonika Kanotra, J Paul
1Department of E.N.T., Govt. Medical College, Srinagar, India.
Summary
Tonsilloliths, or tonsil stones, are calcifications in the tonsils. This case highlights a rare, large tonsillolith causing mild symptoms, emphasizing that tonsil stone symptoms are not size-dependent.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Background:
- Tonsilloliths are calcifications within the palatine tonsils.
- While small tonsilloliths are often asymptomatic, larger ones can cause throat discomfort, pain during swallowing (odynophagia), difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), and referred ear pain (otalgia).
Purpose of the Study:
- To report an exceptionally large tonsillolith case.
- To review the literature on tonsilloliths and their associated symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Case report of a 24-year-old female with a six-month history of throat discomfort.
- Surgical removal of a large left tonsillar calculus (3.1 × 2.7 × 2.1 cm) via tonsillectomy.
- Review of relevant medical literature.
Main Results:
- A large tonsillolith measuring 3.1 × 2.7 × 2.1 cm was identified and surgically removed.
- The patient experienced mild throat discomfort, disproportionate to the calculus size.
- This case represents one of the largest reported tonsilloliths globally.
Conclusions:
- Tonsillolith size does not reliably correlate with symptom severity.
- Large tonsilloliths, though rare, necessitate surgical intervention such as tonsillectomy.
- Further research into tonsillolith formation and symptom correlation is warranted.
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