High rate of early recurrence of peritonsillar abscess among adolescents and young adults.

Background: Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) can be treated with aspiration or incision for drainage, but a subsequent PTA can occur if tonsillectomy is not performed. Better understanding is needed of when tonsillectomy should be performed to avoid PTA recurrence.

Objective: This study investigated the recurrence rate of PTA following aspiration or incision for drainage and evaluated the risk factors for recurrence.

Methods: The medical records of 292 patients treated for PTA were reviewed. Recurrence of PTA and elective or quinsy tonsillectomy were the primary endpoints. A Cox proportional hazards regression model for PTA recurrence was constructed with sex, age, and PTA history as predictors.

Results: Young age was the only significant predictor of PTA recurrence. Patients aged 15 to 24 years had a 30-day recurrence rate of 15.5% and a total recurrence rate of 26.6%. The total recurrence rate among patients over 30 years of age was significantly less at 4.0% (Fisher's exact test, p < .05).

Conclusion and significance: Based on our results, tonsillectomy should be considered for PTA patients between 15 and 25 years of age and, to effectively avoid future recurrence of PTA, should be performed urgently.