Incidence of Hypertrophied Tonsils in Patients with Chronic Tonsillitis Selected for Tonsillectomy

Background: - The tonsil reaches its maximum size during the childhood, when it is more active, and gradually becomes smaller after puberty and diminishes considerably in size. The appearance of the tonsil, on examination of the throat, may give a misleading estimate of its size. Some tonsils appear to lie very much on the surface of the throat with only a shallow tonsillar fossa; Others are much more deeply buried in a deep tonsillar fossa, depending partly on its size but, probably more importantly, on the degree to which it is imbedded in to the tonsillar fossa. Aim of the study: - To show the proportion of hypertrophied tonsils in patients with chronic tonsillitis selected for tonsillectomy. Patients & Methods: - A Descriptive study was conducted within six months period (June 2005 – December 2005), in the E.N.T. department at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital. A total of 50 patients were examined and a history of chronic sore throat and malodorous breath were recorded. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea, quinsy, recent acute tonsillitis or suspected malignancy were excluded. Tonsil size (Volume) was measured according pillars, and cervical lymphadenopathy was recorded. Results: - Hypertrophied tonsils occurred in (41%) of patients selected for tonsillectomy with chronic tonsillitis. Conclusions: - The clinical size (on inspection) of the tonsils is not always the real size (on Measurement) of them. The size of the tonsils clinically is of less importance as an indication for tonsillectomy.