Evaluation of Tonsillectomy Patients and Factors Related to Immediate Tonsillectomy

A retrospective cohort study was conducted with the aim to characterise tonsillectomy patients and identify factors related to the development of complicated cases of tonsillitis and consecutive immediate tonsillectomies in the Latvian population. The data of 493 patients were analysed. Patients were hospitalised from 1 January 2019 to 30 November 2020, for elective or immediate tonsillectomy due to recurrent tonsillitis, with or without exacerbation and complications. The patients who underwent elective tonsillectomy were younger than those who underwent immediate tonsil-lectomy. Peritonsillar abscess was more common in smokers than in non-smokers (p < 0.001). Smokers had immediate tonsillectomy more often than non-smokers (p < 0.001). Patients who underwent elective tonsillectomy had the shortest period of antibiotic therapy (p < 0.001). Patients who had immediate tonsillectomy had a longer hospitalisation time. Immediate tonsillectomies were associated with patients of older age, smokers, longer hospitalisation, and antibacterial treatment periods. Unilateral peritonsillar abscess was the most common complication of tonsillitis, which resulted in immediate tonsillectomy.