title: Histopathologic examination of routine tonsil and adenoid specimens: is it a necessary approach?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate whether it is necessary to perform histopathologic examination of the specimens of tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective and multicenter study, 1021 pediatric and adult patients (557 males, 464 females; median age 8 years; range 5 to 13 years) who underwent adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy were included. Of the patients, 809 (79.3%) were pediatrics, while 212 (20.7%) were adult. Age, gender, histopathologic diagnosis and risk for malignancy in the patients with malignant diagnosis were reviewed using present patient records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adenotonsillectomy was performed on 396 patients (38.8%), tonsillectomy on 266 patients (26%) and adenoidectomy on 359 patients (35.2%). Of the 1021 patients, 1011 (99%) received a benign histopathologic diagnosis, while 11 (1%) receieved malignant diagnosis. Malignant diagnosis was present only in adult patients. All patients diagnosed with a malignancy had one or more preoperative risk factors. No unexpected malignant diagnosis was found in any of the patients without preoperative risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that histopathologic diagnosis may not be required for the patients without preoperative risk factors, particularly pediatric patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Medical Faculty of Gaziosmanpaşa University, Tokat, Turkey. drsemakoc@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koç
authors.forename: Ismail Onder
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Uysal
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eyibilen
mesh_terms: D000233:Adenoidectomy; D000234:Adenoids / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014068:Tonsillectomy