[Smoking promotes the formation of peritonsillar abscesses].
BACKGROUND
Smoking has not properly been investigated as a predisposing factor for the development of a peritonsillar abscess.


METHODS
In a retrospective study a group of 541 abscess tonsillectomies--performed in the department of Otorhinolaryngology (University of Duisburg/Essen) between 1994-2003--was retrospectively analysed for smoking habits of the patients. Further on we investigated the influence of smoking on the risk for a postoperative haemorrhage.


RESULTS
Smoking habits of 519/541 were known, 296/519 (57%) were smokers, which is much more than expected with regard to the prevalence of smokers in the German population. Beneath the 2.2% of patients with a postoperative haemorrhage that had to be arrested under general anaesthesia no statistical relation between the occurrence of a postoperative haemorrhage and smoking was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking could be an important predisposing factor for the development of peritonsillar abscess e. g. due to alteration of the mucosa and microbiological changes. We could not identify a statistical relation between smoking and the risk of a postoperative haemorrhage after tonsillectomy à chaud.
Lehnerdt
G
G
Hals-Nasen-Ohrenklinik der Universität Duisburg-Essen. goetz.lehnerdt@uni-essen.de
Senska
K
K
Fischer
M
M
Jahnke
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000039:Peritonsillar Abscess / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014068:Tonsillectomy