Hyperplasia and the degree and activity of inflammation in chronic recurrent tonsillitis: a histopathological study

Postoperative haemorrhage following tonsillectomy occurs in 5.98% of all cases with up to 10 deaths reported annually in Germany. When comparing tonsillectomy (TE) and tonsillotomy (TT), the same long-term frequency of ENT infections is displayed in children and young adults. However, taking postoperative haemorrhaging into account, TT is more favourable. Chronic tonsillitis is one of the most common indications for TE in the adult population; however, a histopathological characterization may reveal objective criteria and provide a foundation for routinely performing TT in adults too. Three essential parameters hyperplasia (HP), grade of inflammation (GOI) and activity of inflammation (AOI), which are responsible for, and associated with a clinically relevant disease were histopathologically examined in the tonsils of 100 adult patients with chronic recurrent tonsillitis. The parameters were analysed and compared separately in the pharyngeal and basal parts of the tonsils as well as in three sections (upper and lower pole of the tonsil, middle part) as this may influence the indication for TT. The comparison of the basal and pharyngeal portions displayed a significant difference in the GOI and the HP in all three sections: grade 2 HP as well as GOI were more commonly found in the basal than pharyngeal portions (p > 0.001). AOI (grade 2) displayed the same properties in the middle section (p < 0.002), but did not reach statistical significance in the cranial and caudal sections (p = 0.107 and p = 0.186). An overabundance of grade 1 GOI, AOI, and HP was seen in the pharyngeal sections. The results show that two out of three relevant parameters that demonstrate histopathological changes in recurrent inflamed tonsils have a significantly stronger presence in the basal section of the tonsil as opposed to the pharyngeal section. The processes initiated by inflammation next to the surface responsible for a clinically relevant recurrent tonsillitis seem to cause stronger reactions in the deep follicular portion of the tonsils.