ABSTRACT
The objective of he present works was to analyse epidemiological parameters characterizing the prevalence of chronic tonsillitis morbidity and specific features of its local and systemic complications (the former included paratonsillar abscess, PA, while the latter acute rheumatic fever, ARF, and acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis, APSGN). The data subjected to the analysis comprised information collected by the Statistical Department of the Clinical Infectious Hospital No 1 for the past 10 years about the number of hospitalized patients having the diagnosis of tonsillitis in combination with PA and the data on the number of peritonsillar abscess drainage procedures performed between 2008 and 2010 (Statistical Department of S.P. Botkin City Clinical Hospital), the number of tonsillectomies, the prevalence of ARF and APSGN during the last 10 years (Medical Statistics Bureau of the Moscow Health Department), and the results of monitoring regular medical check-ups of the patients presenting with the above pathologies. The number of the patients hospitalized at the Clinical Infectious Hospital No 1 for the diagnosis of tonsillitis in combination with PA was shown to increase as well as the number of autopsies of the patients with PA performed at S.P. Botkin City Clinical Hospital. Simultaneously, the number of tonsillectomies in the clinics of Moscow Health Department decreased whereas the prevalence of ARF and APSGN and the number of the patients with chronic tonsillitis under dispensary observation for over 2 years increased. It is concluded that otorhinolaryngologists working in outpatient facilities must promptly identify indications for radical surgical sanitation of the pockets of chronic infection by means of bilateral tonsillectomy.
