Epidemiological Description of Tonsillectomy

Abstract

Introduction: Tonsillectomy is a surgery, widely spread in the world, much frequently performed by the general otorhinolaryngologist.

Objective: To demonstrate the behavior of tonsillectomy in the otorhinolaryngology service at Carlos Manuel de Céspedes provincial teaching hospital, Granma province.

Methods: A descriptive, observational and retrospective study was carried out of the medical records of patients who received tonsillectomy as treatment in the Otolaryngology Service at Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Provincial University Hospital in Bayamo, Granma province, from January 2019 to December 2020. The sample it was made up of 256 cases. The variables were used age, sex, risk factors related to malignancy (dysphagia, tonsillar asymmetry, difficulty in mobility of the tongue, nasal voice, weight loss, reflex otalgia and halitosis), the most associated clinical signs (snoring, sleep disorders, odynophagia and dysphagia) and postoperative complications.

Results: The sex that predominated was male in 62.1%. Halitosis predominated in 68% of the cases among the risk factors for malignancy. The main indication was chronic tonsillitis in 81.2% of the cases.

Conclusions: Tonsillectomy was performed more frequently in males and its main indication was chronic tonsillitis. Halitosis, reflex earache, and snoring are the main risk factors for malignancy, and the postoperative complications that appeared were pain, reflex earache, and bleeding.