Histological analysis of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy specimens--January 2001 to May 2003.
Palatine and nasopharyngeal tonsils are nonencapsulated nodular masses of lymphoid tissue of the respiratory and digestive tract epithelium.


METHODS
Retrospective clinical study based on the revision of medical records of patients who underwent tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy at Hospital das Clínicas, Medical School, Marília in the period between January 2001 and May 2003.


OBJECTIVE
Analysis of patients' profile and main pathological changes in 250 patients with palatine and nasopharyngeal tonsil hypertrophy, recurrent infections or both.


METHODS
Histological review of 250 patients who underwent tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy among adults and children.


RESULTS
Out of 250 subjects, 117 (46.8%) were female and 133 (53.2%) were male patients. Mean age was 7.3 years, ranging from 2 to 34 years. Main surgical indication was concomitant presence of recurrent infections and hypertrophy of nasopharyngeal and palatine tonsils. Among these patients, 160 (64%) were classified as grades III to IV hypertrophy. Lymphatic or follicular lymphatic hyperplasia was observed in 205 patients (82%); focal inflammation was verified in 45 (18%) subjects. Among those, 2 patients presented squamous cell cysts, 2 had Actinomyces sp colonies and 1 cat scratch disease.


CONCLUSIONS
The results presented in this study suggested a possible correlation between recurrent tonsillitis and palatine tonsil hypertrophy.


CONCLUSIONS
Routine histological study of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy specimens has a low cost-benefit rate, although, due to legal and ethical issues, physicians may request this type of examination.
Dell'Aringa
Alfredo R
AR
Medical School, Marília.
Juares
Antônio J C
AJ
Melo
Cinthia de
Cd
Nardi
José C
JC
Kobari
Kazue
K
Perches Filho
Renato M
RM
D000233:Adenoidectomy; D000234:Adenoids / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014068:Tonsillectomy; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*