Study of adenotonsillectomy specimens: An institutional experience

OBJECTIVE: Waldeyer's lymphatic ring consists of group of tonsils located over the posterior oropharyngeal wall. The palatine tonsils are largest tonsil. The present study was aimed to evaluate the significance of lymphoid hyperplasia, lymphocyte infiltration with and without defect in the surface epithelium in chronic tonsillitis (CT) and chronic adenotonsillar hypertrophy (CAH) in resected tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy specimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 85 patients were included in the study. Fifty-one cases underwent bilateral tonsillectomy and 34 cases underwent adenotonsillectomy. RESULTS: The lymphoid hyperplasia was higher in CAH (30/34; 88.24%) as compared to CT (26/50; 52%). Lymphocyte infiltration with or without defect in the surface epithelium was common in CT. The histopathologic criteria of lymphoid hyperplasia and lymphocyte infiltration with or without defect in the surface epithelium showed a statistically significant difference between CT and CAH. CONCLUSION: CT and CAH may be differentiated on the basis of reliable histopathological criteria. Punch biopsy can be performed to avoid CT complication if the clinical diagnosis is true. Choristomas can be clinically confused with true neoplasms, if large in size.