Treatment of lingual tonsillitis by transoral CO2 laser endoscopy

The authors report on their clinical experiences concerning 100 cases of chronic lingual tonsillitis. The surgical treatment employed was endoscopic vaporization of affected tissues with the CO2 laser. Prior to surgical intervention, predisposing conditions such as allergy, rhinosinusitis, and gastroesophageal reflux were identified and treated. The surgical technique consisted of progressive vaporization of the lymphoid tissue at the base of the tongue until the lingual fascia was reached. A slightly defocused (700 mm) continuous 10-15 W laser beam was used at a working distance of 400 mm. Following surgery, no dyspnea was observed secondary to epiglottic edema and only one patient required postoperative hemostasis. Symptoms related to tonsil or tongue inflammation were eliminated or alleviated in 87 patients, remained unchanged in 12 patients and were worse in 1 patient.