A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF ANESTHESIA FOR QUINSY TONSILLECTOMY

A prospective study of 50 adult quinsy tonsillectomy anaesthetics was performed. There were no significant anaesthetic ol surgical complicat ions and the mean intra-operative blood loss was 176 ml. The Mallampat i score did not correlate with the Cormack and Lehane glottic view and there were no difficult intubations. Pre-operative trismus resolved c ompletely during induction in 77.4% of cases. We concluded that the Ma llampati grading system is not applicable in quinsies and in cases wit h palatopharyngeal arch distortion, that trismus in quinsies is due to muscle spasm and resolves completely during induction in most cases a nd that pre-anaesthetic drainage of the abscess together with rehydrat ion and antibiotics are important contributing factors to safe anaesth esia for quinsy.