Establishing the Need for an Evidence-Based Treatment Algorithm for Peritonsillar Abscess in Children

In this retrospective case series, we report clinical factors associated with pediatric peritonsillar abscess (PTA), with hopes of contributing to the design of an evidenced-based, economic treatment approach. Charts were examined for presenting symptoms and signs. Each of these were analyzed for association with the presence of PTA and for association with treatment. We found that, with the exception of leukocytosis, the signs/symptoms that prompted treatment correlate with those that indicate the presence of PTA. However, there are several signs/symptoms, namely, referred otalgia, cervical lymphadenopathy, and decreased oral intake, that were associated with PTA but unassociated with treatment. Treatment can be aided by establishing an algorithm that accounts for the symptoms/signs most correlated with true, drainable abscess.