Prevalence of peritonsillar abscesses in children of the Tyumen region

Introduction. Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is a suppuration of the peritonsillar fiber, which is more often a complication of acute tonsillitis, requires urgent medical care. Issues of diagnosis and treatment of PTA are one of the urgent problems of pediatric otorhinolaryngology. The main peak of the incidence occurs in adolescence, which is associated with a change in the immunobiological properties of the body at this age. In children under 3 years of age, the disease is extremely rare, but the increase in the number of PTA in children from 4.2 to 12.1% and the development of peritonsillitis in children under 3 years of age are alarming about the severity of post-streptococcal complications. Timely diagnosis, treatment and prevention of PTA are essential to prevent potential serious complications.

Aim. To study the prevalence of PTA in children, to analyze the results of prevention with a herbal preparation.

Materials and methods. A sample of medical histories of 19,017 people hospitalized in the children’s ENT department of Regional Clinical Hospital No. 2 (Tyumen) was carried out, the prevalence of PTA and other diseases of the pharynx was studied. The duration of prospective observation of patients was 10 years (2009–2019). Clinical data such as sore throat, enlargement of the cervical and submandibular lymph nodes, fever, dysphagia, nasality of the voice, trismus of the masticatory muscles were analyzed. Gender, age characteristics, data on relapse were evaluated. All patients with PTA were opened and drained of the purulent cavity with the appointment of antibacterial therapy and the herbal preparation in the postoperative period.

Results. The highest incidence of PTA is observed in children of middle and high school age, more often girls are sick – 52% of cases. A more rapid relief of the main symptoms and relapses of PTA was recorded in the group of children who received the herbal preparation as a prophylaxis.

Conclusions. The prevalence of PTA in childhood does not tend to decrease. Prophylactic use of the herbal preparation in the postoperative period contributes to a more rapid relief of the main symptoms of PTA and prevention of recurrence of the disease.

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