CHRONIC TONSILLITIS
CLINICAL FEATURES:
- Recurrent or persistent sore throat.
- Recurrent or persistent obstruction to breathing in the form of snoring or apnea during sleep (usually due to associated enlarged adenoids).
- Offensive breath.
- Persistent hyperemia (congestion) of anterior pillars + enlarged cervical lymph nodes.
IDEAL AGE FOR TONSILLECTOMY:
(Not before 3 years).
INDICATIONS OF TONSILLECTOMY:
- Repeated acute tonsillitis (4 or more culture-proved β-hemolytic streptococcal tonsillitis/year).
- Chronic tonsillitis.
- Peritonsillar (quinsy)/retrotonsillar abscess.
- Markedly hypertrophied tonsils → chronic obstruction (especially if there is sleep apnea).