TITLE:
Tonsillectomy at the ENT Department of the National Hospital Donka and Review of the Literature
AUTHORS:
Mamadou Aliou Diallo, Sayon Kourouma, Alseny Cisse, Rafan Mady Kaba Kéita, Gourassiou Diallo, Ibrahima Diallo, Alseny Camara, Mory Conde, Abdoulaye Kéita
KEYWORDS:
Tonsillectomy, Indications, Techniques, Complications
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery,
Vol.14 No.5,
September
5,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Our objective was to present our experience regarding the indications, surgical techniques, and postoperative outcomes of tonsillectomy in the ENT Department of the National Hospital Donka. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive and retrospective study conducted over a period of 5 years (from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2022) in the ENT Department of the National Hospital Donka in Conakry. We included 143 male and 157 female patients, all of whom underwent extracapsular tonsillectomy using electrocautery dissection. We analyzed age, sex, surgical indications, type of surgery, and postoperative outcomes. Results: We recorded 300 tonsillectomies, representing 30.55% of all surgeries. The mean age of the patients was 13.85 ± 9.57 years. The 0 to 15-year age group accounted for 55.67%, followed by the 16 to 30-year group (35.67%). The indications included recurrent tonsillitis (38%), chronic and caseous tonsillitis (30%), obstructive tonsillitis with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) (20%), complications related to rheumatic fever (RAA), acute glomerulonephritis (AGN), and peritonsillar abscess (10.6%), and suspected malignancy of the palatine tonsil (0.3%). Postoperative recovery was uncomplicated in 93% of cases. Seven cases of hemorrhagic complications were reported (2.3%). Other complications included nasal regurgitation (1.7%), dysgeusia (1.3%), and suppuration of the tonsillar fossae (1.3%). No deaths were recorded. Conclusion: Tonsillectomy is a common procedure in the ENT Department of the National Hospital Donka in Conakry. Recurrent tonsillitis is the main indication. Electrocautery dissection is the technique used. Hemorrhagic complications can be minimized by improving intraoperative hemostasis.