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Published on: November 6, 2019
A unifying theory of tonsillitis, intratonsillar abscess and peritonsillar abscess
Alex B Blair1, Robert Booth2, Reginald Baugh3
1Department of Surgery, University of Toledo, College of Medicine, Toledo, OH, USA.
Abstract:
We review existing models of the pathogenesis of peritonsillar abscess (PTA) and intra-tonsillar abscess (ITA) and present a novel pathophysiologic model based upon observed histopathology in 2 ITAs and 10 PTAs and acute tonsillitis cases. ITA is rare, and prevailing models are only able to account for a minority of cases. The tonsillar lymphatic ultrastucture and the rapid nature of intratonsillar lymphatic transit, offer the framework for a unifying model of the development and progression of tonsillitis, PTA and ITA.
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