Tonsillectomy without the use of post operative antibiotics

To see the frequency of infection in cases of adult tonsillectomy and its effect on morbidity without the use of post-operative antibiotics. material and methods: this prospective study of 106 cases of adult tonsillectomy for chronic tonsillitis,post quinsy tonsillitis and unilaterally enlarged tonsil was carried out in ent department of gomal medical college,d.i.khan and khyber teaching hospital,peshawar,to see the result of the procedure without the use of post-operative antibiotics.result: sixty adult males and forty six adult females were included in the study. age range was between 16-30 years. patients were divided into two groups,group 1 comprised of 60 patients who were not given any antibiotics where as group 2 containing 46 patients were given co-amoxiclav. postoperatively,one patient from each group presented with secondary haemorrhage which was treated by parenteral antibiotics alone. another five cases from group 1 and three cases from group 2 presented with moderately severe throat pain and odynophagia during the first visit but none had pyrexia or otitis media. conclusion: the use of routine post-operative antibiotics after adult tonsillectomy is not required in our set up,if proper aseptic techniques are observed.