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Peritonsillar abscess drainage: using oropharyngeal endoscopy as a therapeutic adjunct and training tool

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2021

A Sawhney*
Affiliation:
Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery, Heartlands Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
R Bidaye
Affiliation:
Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery, Heartlands Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
A Khanna
Affiliation:
Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery, Heartlands Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
*
Author for correspondence: Mr Akshat Sawhney, Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery, Heartlands Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK E-mail: Akshat.sawhney@nhs.net

Abstract

Background

Peritonsillar abscess, or quinsy, is one of the most common emergency presentations to ENT departments, and is the most common deep tissue infection of the head and neck. In the UK, junior members of the ENT team are regularly required to independently assess, diagnose and treat patients with peritonsillar aspiration or incision and drainage.

Issue

Inexperienced practitioners can stumble at several obstacles: poor access due to trismus; poor lighting; difficulty in learning the therapeutic procedure; and difficulty in accurately documenting findings and treatment.

Solution

To counter these and other difficulties, the authors describe the routine use of video endoscopy as a training tool and therapeutic adjunct in the management of quinsy.

Type
Short Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

Mr A Sawhney takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

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