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

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