RESUMO
CONCLUSIONS: Tonsillectomy is an effective procedure that provides medical and social benefits for adult patients with recurrent tonsillitis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the benefits, impact and overall efficacy of tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis in adults. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Analysis of medical records with postoperative survey analysis of patients who underwent tonsillectomy in 1 work year with at least 1 year of follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 105 patients returned completed surveys. Their mean age was 26.25 years. The mean frequency of tonsillitis per year decreased from 8.37 (SD=3.75) to 1.43 (SD=1.86), p<0.005. The mean duration in days of each episode of tonsillitis decreased from 5.91 (SD=2.67) to 1.23 (SD=1.42), p<0.005. The mean number of work days missed decreased from 8.92 (SD=6.85) to 0.65 (SD=1.49), p<0.005. The mean pain score (1-10) was 6.88 (SD=5.75). An average of 14.17 (SD=5.75) days of medical leave was required postoperatively. In all, 37.1% of patients noticed postoperative voice changes; 92.4% would still choose tonsillectomy again for the same condition and 98.1% would recommend tonsillectomy to family or friends if they had recurrent tonsillitis.
