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Alterations to the oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal microbial flora of children after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

E. Manolis ,
A. Tsakris ,
D. Kandiloros ,
M. Kanellopoulou ,
E. Malamou-Lada ,
E. Ferekidis ,
G. Adamopoulos  and
N. J. Legakis
E. Manolis
Affiliation:
Otorhinolaryngology and Microbiology Departments, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
A. Tsakris
Affiliation:
Otorhinolaryngology and Microbiology Departments, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
D. Kandiloros
Affiliation:
Otorhinolaryngology and Microbiology Departments, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
M. Kanellopoulou
Affiliation:
Otorhinolaryngology and Microbiology Departments, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
E. Malamou-Lada
Affiliation:
Otorhinolaryngology and Microbiology Departments, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
E. Ferekidis
Affiliation:
Otorhinolaryngology and Microbiology Departments, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
G. Adamopoulos
Affiliation:
Otorhinolaryngology and Microbiology Departments, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
N. J. Legakis*
Affiliation:
Otorhinolaryngology and Microbiology Departments, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
*
Professor N. J. Legakis, Department of Microbiology, Medical School, University of Athens, M. Asias 77, Athens 115 27, Greece.
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Abstract

The oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal microbial flora of 40 children with chronically hypertrophied and infected tonsils or adenoids, was studied. Twenty of the children were treated by tonsillectomy and 20 by adenoidectomy. Swabs were taken from the surgical field pre-operatively and from the oropharynx or the nasopharynx 10 and 30 days post-operatively. The swabs were cultured on suitable culture media and identification as well as quantitative estimation of the isolated bacteria, was carried out. Most of the potentially pathogenic bacteria exhibited β-lactamase production.

Interestingly, after surgical treatment, the respective microorganisms were quantitatively reduced and it was observed that their isolation rate was also lower. Furthermore, bacteria considered as normal inhabitants regularly showed an increase in their frequency of isolation despite the fact that a quantitative decrease was in some instances observed. These findings suggest that tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy result in an alteration to the abnormal oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal microbial flora producing an almost normal one. It appears that, in cases of the failure of antimicrobial treatment, surgical procedures should be seriously considered.

Keywords

MicrobiologyTonsillectomyAdenoidectomy
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 108 , Issue 9 , September 1994 , pp. 763 - 767
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1994

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