Who ends up having tonsillectomy after peritonsillar infection?

We wanted to explore how many patients will undergo tonsillectomy during the first 5 years after peritonsillar abscess or peritonsillar cellulitis, and why. In addition we sought predictive factors as to who would benefit from tonsillectomy. Medical records of 809 patients with peritonsillar infection (ICD-10 J36) aged over six were analyzed, and data on the history of tonsil infections and differences in treatment were collected. Data on patients who underwent tonsillectomy during the next 5 years were compared with data on patients needing no tonsillectomy. An abscess or planned interval tonsillectomy was performed on 159 patients. Of the conservatively treated 7- to 16.9-year-old patients, 42.5% required surgery later, of those aged 17–29.9 years, 31.3%, and those over 30, 13.2% (p < 0.001). Previous tonsillar infections led to increased (p = 0.067) probability of delayed tonsillectomy. Re-opening of the abscess cavity at the polyclinics, use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in the acute phase of infection, or being an outpatient or inpatient had no influence on the probability of later surgery. Overall one-fourth of the patients with peritonsillar infection underwent tonsillectomy during the next 5 years, even without being originally planned. Young age and previous tonsillar infections caused increased probability of delayed tonsillectomy.