Tonsillectomy: An Appraisal of Indications in Developing Countries

Abstract

The records of 627 patients with inflammatory disease of the tonsils and 310 patients undergoing dissection tonsillectomy are analysed. The majority of the tonsil population in our study group are adults, and there is a high incidence of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. The study population is apt to receive treatment, including attempts at surgery, from highly untrained personnel with serious attendant morbidity and some mortality. Dissection tonsillectomy under general endotracheal anaesthesia has been found effective and safe with acceptable morbidity and no mortality. It is suggested that less stringent criteria for tonsillectomy are appropriate in developing countries with the same pattern of inflammatory disease of the tonsils.