Objective: To find out the significance of the histopathologic assessment of tonsillectomy materials in an attempt to understand the cost-effectiveness of this procedure. Patients and Methods: Hematoxylin- and eosin-stained sections of 1,820 tonsillectomy samples were re-evaluated, and clinical charts of the patients were made. Results: There was Actinomyces in 122 (6.7%), cryptic abscess in 144 (7.9%), cyst formation in 146 (8.0%) and granuloma in 11 (0.6%). Malignancy was found in 9 (0.5%) of 1,820 patients. In these patients with histopathologically confirmed malignancy, tonsillectomy had been performed with a presumptive diagnosis of malignant disease. Conclusions: Routine histopathologic examination of tonsillectomy material is not necessary unless there is a strong suspicion of malignancy on clinical evaluation. Thus, the cost of hospital expenses can be decreased to some extent. This will also eliminate the waste of time due to histopathologic assessment unless residency training is the subject of discussion. The medical-legal limitations should also be taken into consideration while making decisions about the necessity of histopathologic examination of these specimens.

Keywords:
Tonsil, Tonsillectomy, Cost-effectiveness, Malignancy
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© 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel
2002
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