TY - JOUR
T1 - Management of Peritonsillar Abscesses in Adults
T2 - Survey of Otolaryngologists in Canada and the United States
AU - Forner, David
AU - Noel, Christopher W.
AU - Grant, Amy
AU - Hong, Paul
AU - Corsten, Martin
AU - Wu, Vincent
AU - Taylor, S. Mark
AU - Trites, Jonathan R.B.
AU - Rigby, Matthew H.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Authors 2021.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Objective: The management of peritonsillar abscess (PTA) has evolved over time. We sought to define contemporary practice patterns for the diagnosis and treatment of PTA. Study Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: The 15-question survey was distributed to members of the Canadian Society of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (CSO) and the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). Methods: An iterative, consensus-based process was used for survey development. Primary outcomes were to determine methods of diagnosis and first-line treatments for PTA. Exploratory, secondary outcomes were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: The survey response rate was 12.6% (n = 1176). Most participants were attending staff (86%) in a community hospital setting (60%) and had been in practice for more than 20 years (38%). Most respondents (78%) indicated that at least half of the time, cross-sectional imaging had already been performed before they were consulted. Half of respondents (49%) indicated that they perform incision and drainage of the abscess as first-line treatment, while few (16%) provide medical management alone. In exploratory analysis, participants from the AAO-HNS had higher odds of imaging already being performed before consultation (odds ratio [OR], 11.7; 95% CI, 4.6-29.4) and increased odds of using medical management alone as a first-line treatment (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3-4.2) compared to respondents from the CSO. Conclusion: There is wide practice variation in the diagnosis and management of acute, uncomplicated PTA among otolaryngologists in Canada and the United States. The use of cross-sectional imaging and medical management alone may differ between countries of practice.
AB - Objective: The management of peritonsillar abscess (PTA) has evolved over time. We sought to define contemporary practice patterns for the diagnosis and treatment of PTA. Study Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: The 15-question survey was distributed to members of the Canadian Society of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (CSO) and the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). Methods: An iterative, consensus-based process was used for survey development. Primary outcomes were to determine methods of diagnosis and first-line treatments for PTA. Exploratory, secondary outcomes were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: The survey response rate was 12.6% (n = 1176). Most participants were attending staff (86%) in a community hospital setting (60%) and had been in practice for more than 20 years (38%). Most respondents (78%) indicated that at least half of the time, cross-sectional imaging had already been performed before they were consulted. Half of respondents (49%) indicated that they perform incision and drainage of the abscess as first-line treatment, while few (16%) provide medical management alone. In exploratory analysis, participants from the AAO-HNS had higher odds of imaging already being performed before consultation (odds ratio [OR], 11.7; 95% CI, 4.6-29.4) and increased odds of using medical management alone as a first-line treatment (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3-4.2) compared to respondents from the CSO. Conclusion: There is wide practice variation in the diagnosis and management of acute, uncomplicated PTA among otolaryngologists in Canada and the United States. The use of cross-sectional imaging and medical management alone may differ between countries of practice.
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U2 - 10.1177/2473974X211044081
DO - 10.1177/2473974X211044081
M3 - Article
C2 - 34541442
AN - SCOPUS:85114941190
SN - 2473-974X
VL - 5
JO - OTO Open
JF - OTO Open
IS - 3
ER -