Needle aspiration an equal to incision and drainage in management of peritonsillar abscess

ABSTRACT

To compare needle aspiration with incision and drainage in treatment of Peritonsillar abscess. Randomized Control Trails. Department of ENT CMH Peshawar from 28th October 2009 to 1st November 2010. Fifty patients of either gender presenting with peritonsillar abscess for the first time were randomly divided allocated into two groups A and B. Group A underwent aspiration of pus on day 0 followed by reaspiration on day 1 and 2 if required. Group B underwent incision and drainage and evacuation of pus on day 0 followed by repeat drainage on day 1 if required. In about 72% of cases single needle aspiration was curative while 24% required two and 4% required three aspirations in group A. While in group B 80% of patients were cured with single sitting of incision and drainage and 20% required second sitting of drainage. This difference was statically insignificant [p=0.550]. Needle aspiration is as an effective method as incision and drainage for management of peritonsillar abscess