Abstract
Thirteen patients with hypertrophied lingual tonsils were treated with laser surgery in the ENT department of Heidberg Hospital, Hamburg. Hypertrophy of the lingual tonsils probably develops as a compensatory enlargement following palatine tonsillectomy. It may be true that repeated infection (lingual tonsillitis) in younger patients participates in the development of lingual tonsil hypertrophy. CO2 laser surgery was used instead of surgical dissection with scissors or a tonsillotome. We conclude that CO2 laser application is a better treatment of hypertrophy of the lingual tonsil than earlier techniques since it causes minimal bleeding during surgery, only slight postoperative scarring, no damage to surrounding tissues and minor postoperative pain.
