title: Cryosurgical treatment of the lymphoid tissue of Waldeyer's ring.
abstract: The role of cryosurgery in the treatment of tonsil disease is an unresolved issue. Initial favorable reports failed to provide the necessary incentives for larger well-controlled studies. Bacteriologic and immunologic response to the cryosurgical treatment of tonsils remains unclear. Without appropriate studies, cryosurgery has been relegated to a backup status for conventional tonsil surgery. At present, cryogenic treatment of lymphoid tissue is generally limited to tonsillectomy in patients with blood dyscrasias; elimination of palatine tonsil regrowth and posterior pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia; and occasional laryngeal and lingual tonsillectomy.
mesh_terms: D003452:Cryosurgery; D006801:Humans; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000601:surgery*