Clinical study of hospitalized patients with peritonsillar abscess

Abstract

We retrospectively analyzed the data of 153 patients (male, n=108 ; female, n=45 ; median age, 35.5 years [range 8-87 years]) with peritonsillar abscess who were treated at our hospital from October 2016 to March 2019. Among the 153 patients, the right side was affected in 79 patients, the left side was affected in 66 patients, and both sides were affected in 8 patients (5.3%). Sixty-nine patients (45.1%) had a history of smoking. Peritonsillar abscesses with the longest diameter located cranial to the palatine uvula were defined as superior type abscesses, while peritonsillar abscesses with the longest diameter located caudally were defined as inferior type abscesses. The diameters of abscesses managed by observation with antibiotics were all shorter than 15 mm. Regarding antibiotic selection, it may be reasonable to expect a sufficient effect with the use of SBT/ABPC as a single agent, as this antibiotic has a broad antibacterial spectrum covering aerobic, anaerobic, and drug-resistant bacteria.