title: Evaluation of the utility of histopathologic exam as a routine in tonsillectomies.
abstract: Tonsillectomy is one of the most commonly performed procedures of the head and neck. It is performed for a wide variety of indications in both adults and children. It is common to send the material achieved in the surgery to routine histopathologic exam, as to analyze suspected material or for a medical-legal documentation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Analyze the utility and cost of routine histopathologic diagnosis for tonsillectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  retrospective study of the histopathologic result of all tonsillectomies between 1978 and 2004 in a university hospital and analyzed the files of the patients with cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  2103 results of histopathologic exams were analyzed. Of these, only four cases presented any case of malignancy, being all of these non-Hodgkin lymphoma and already suspected before the surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The world literature has encountered similar results and each time more the histopathologic analysis of all cases is questioned. The cost of the exam is high and your results, in the case of malignancy were already knew before the surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Histopathologic analysis of all tonsillectomies is not indicated. The risks factors established by Beaty should guide the solicitation of the exam, to try to low the costs with unnecessary exams.
authors.affiliation: Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Felippe
authors.forename: Geraldo Augusto
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Bruno Peer
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Gustavo Azeredo
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomita
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000191:economics*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006801:Humans; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000191:economics