Peritonsillar abscess. II. Cases treated with tonsillectomy à chaud.

The treatment of a peritonsillar abscess by tonsillectomy à chaud obviously offers advantages over the more conservative treatment with incision, daily dilatations and possibly a later tonsillectomy. The patient avoids the painful drainage of the abscess with daily dilatations. Technically, the operation is easier to perform than later on when fibrosis has developed. The operative complications are not greater than in elective tonsillectomy, and there is no risk of spread of the infection when the patient is treated with antibiotics.