Tonsillectomies: in dollars and cents

Over the last quarter of a century, much controversy has been generated on the indications for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. The economic aspects of this operation have received comparatively little attention. The rate per 10,000 children 0 to 19 years of age for the whole province of Ontario for the year 1971 was 174 and ranged from a high of 307 in one county to a low of 59 in another. The total cost of these operations to the health insurance plan was 11.4 million dollars. National studies on the indications for these operations, their benefits and hazards are urgently required.