[Severe complications of tonsillectomy].

The authors report 15 fatal complications after tonsillectomy based on the claims made between 1976 and 1986 to three insurance companies specialised in medical defence. The advantages and disadvantages of tonsillectomy with intubation and with the Sluder apparatus are recalled. Analysis of the legal proceedings of these cases reveals the principal points of jurisprudence: the importance of the preoperative assessment, pre-anaesthetic examination and informed consent. The concept of shared responsibility means that the surgeon must ensure the quality of the technical equipment of the establishment in which the operation is performed and the quality of the postoperative care.