Evaluation of the utility of histopathologic exam as a routine in tonsillectomies.
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.
Felippe
Felix
F
Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Gomes
Geraldo Augusto
GA
de Souza
Bruno Peer
BP
Cardoso
Gustavo Azeredo
GA
Tomita
Shiro
S
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