Partial tonsillectomy as effective as total tonsillectomy for patients with recurrent tonsillitis, finds study

To assess the impact of surgical therapy on overall quality of life, we employed the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI). Results: Out of the 111 patients initially included in the years 2015-2018, 79 were eligible for the 5-year follow-up, representing a 71% follow-up rate. The mean follow-up time was 60 months. Notably, during the first 12 months post-surgery, no cases of bacterial inflammation were observed in the remaining tonsillar tissue following partial tonsillectomy, suggesting noninferiority compared to total tonsillectomy. This effect remained consistent over the 5-year study period. GBI results indicate that both total and partial tonsillectomy positively impact the physical and mental health of patients with recurrent tonsillitis. Considering that partial tonsillectomy is associated with less pain and reduced postoperative bleeding, it may emerge as a potential replacement for total tonsillectomy as the standard method in the future.

Reference:

Kisser U, Stelter K, Lill C. Total versus subtotal tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis: 5-year follow up of a prospective randomized noninferiority clinical trial. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2024 Sep 26. doi: 10.1007/s00405-024-08987-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39322860.