Hostname: page-component-6766d58669-nf276 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-18T02:31:12.363Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Does tonsillectomy improve quality of life in adults? A systematic literature review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2013

N Andreou ,
S Hadjisymeou  and
J Panesar
N Andreou*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK
S Hadjisymeou
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Luton and Dunstable NHS Trust, Luton, UK
J Panesar
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Luton and Dunstable NHS Trust, Luton, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr Nicholas Andreou, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ E-mail: nicholas.andreou08@imperial.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Aim:

To determine whether tonsillectomy improves quality of life in adults suffering from chronic or recurrent tonsillitis.

Method:

A systematic literature search of the Medline and Pubmed databases was conducted in order to identify all relevant studies measuring quality of life directly.

Results and Conclusion:

Eight studies were identified. The Glasgow Benefit Inventory and the Short Form questionnaire were the main tools used to assess quality of life changes. Tonsillectomy is likely to improve the overall quality of life as it particularly improves patients' physical and general health. The social benefits of tonsillectomy appear to be non-significant. The effects are likely to be long-lasting and have a greater impact on younger patients. The presence of coexisting chronic conditions and the severity of infective symptoms due to tonsillitis are also influencing factors.

Keywords

TonsillectomyQuality of LifeTonsillitis

Information

Type
Review Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 127 , Issue 4 , April 2013 , pp. 332 - 338
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1Burton, M, Glasziou, P. Tonsillectomy or adeno-tonsillectomy versus non-surgical treatment for chronic/recurrent acute tonsillitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2009;(1):CD1001802CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2Calman, K. Quality of life in cancer patients – an hypothesis. J Med Ethics 1984;10:124–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Robinson, K, Gatehouse, S, Browning, G. Measuring patient benefit from otorhinolaryngological surgery and therapy. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1996;105:415–22CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4Bhattacharyya, N, Kepnes, LJ. Economic benefit of tonsillectomy in adults with chronic tonsillitis. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2002;111:983–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Senska, G, Ellermann, S, Ernst, S, Lax, H, Dost, P. Recurrent tonsillitis in adults: quality of life after tonsillectomy. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2010;107:622–8Google ScholarPubMed
6Baumann, I, Kucheida, H, Blumenstock, G, Zalaman, IM, Maassen, MM, Plinkert, PK. Benefit from tonsillectomy in adult patients with chronic tonsillitis. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2006;263:556–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Schwentner, I, Hofer, S, Schmutzhard, J, Deibl, M, Sprinzl, GM. Impact of tonsillectomy on quality of life in adults with chronic tonsillitis. Swiss Med Wkly 2007;137:454–61Google ScholarPubMed
8Richards, A, Bailey, M, Hooper, R, Thompson, P. Quality-of-life effect of tonsillectomy in a young adult group. A N Z J Surg 2007;77:988–90CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9Koskenkorva, T, Koivumen, P, Penna, T, Teppo, H, Alho, O. Factors affecting quality-of-life impact of adult tonsillectomy. J Laryngol Otol 2009;123:1010–14CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10Ericsson, E, Ledin, T, Hultcrantz, E. Long-term improvement of quality of life as a result of tonsillotomy (with radiofrequency technique) and tonsillectomy in youths. Laryngoscope 2007;117:1272–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11Witsell, DL, Orvidas, LJ, Stewart, MG, Hannley, MT, Weaver, EM, Yueh, B et al. Quality of life after tonsillectomy in adults with recurrent or chronic tonsillitis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2008;138(suppl):S1–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Fischer, D, Stewart, A, Bloch, D, Lorig, K, Laurent, D, Holman, H. Capturing the patient's view of change as a clinical outcome measure. JAMA 1999;282:1157–62CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13Allison, P, Locker, D, Feine, J. Quality of life: a dynamic construct. Soc Sci Med 1997;45:221–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. Management of Sore Throat and Indications for Tonsillectomy. Edinburgh: Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, 2010;117Google Scholar