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Bilateral peritonsillar abscesses

  • Laryngology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head & Neck Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the discussion about the management of the peritonsillar abscess (PTA) in regard to the pros and cons of tonsillectomy à chaud versus à froid, the risk of obscure contralateral abscesses is often neglected. To the authors’ knowledge, there are only a few series of PTA being analyzed for the abscess rate of bilateral PTA. A group of 541 abscess tonsillectomies was retrospectively analyzed for the presence of a bilateral manifestation of peritonsillar abscess. Twenty-one patients (3.88%) had bilateral abscesses. None of these had been detected prior to the operation. Of the 541 patients, 2.22% had postoperative hemorrhages that had to be arrested under general anesthesia. Within the discussion about abscess tonsillectomy versus stab incision followed by interval tonsillectomy (à froid), the rate of almost 4% bilateral abscesses should be taken into consideration as dangerous complications such as mediastinitis could develop from the remaining abscess formation of the contralateral side.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstraße 55, 45122, Essen, Germany

    G. Lehnerdt, K. Senska, M. Fischer & K. Jahnke

Authors
  1. G. Lehnerdt
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  2. K. Senska
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  3. M. Fischer
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  4. K. Jahnke
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Correspondence to G. Lehnerdt.

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Lehnerdt, G., Senska, K., Fischer, M. et al. Bilateral peritonsillar abscesses. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 262, 573–575 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-004-0870-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-004-0870-5

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