[On the accumulation of tonsillectomies in young females].
BACKGROUND
The clinical observation of an accumulation of tonsillectomies in young women raises two questions: (1) Can this observation be proved statistically? and, if yes, (2) are there any hints as to a possible psychological reason of this phenomenon?


METHODS
A total of 24 young females (15-20 years old) admitted to the ENT-department for tonsillectomy were given a preoperative personality screening using the Freiburger personality inventory (FPI-R).


RESULTS
A significant, sex specific accumulation of tonsillectomies was found in females aged 10-20 years. The personality screening revealed a significant increase of the subscales "social orientation" and "aggressivity" in the entire group. Eight out of the 24 females showed an abnormal personality profile with statistically unexpected correlations between the subscales "somatic complaints", "excitability" and "aggressivity".


CONCLUSIONS
In spite of the low sample size, these results suggest that in some young females in the postadolescent age group, an abnormal personality structure influences the indication of tonsillectomy.
Spicker
E
E
Klinik für Hals-, Nasen-, Ohrenheilkunde, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, Plastische Operationen, Phoniatrie und Pädaudiologie, Städtische Kliniken Neuss, Lukaskrankenhaus GmbH, Neuss.
Schultz-Coulon
H-J
HJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D001143:Arousal; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*