The needle aspiration method in vivo for the evaluation of the core in acute tonsillitis

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to determine the diagnostic value of tonsillar core cultures obtained by in vivo needle aspiration method versus throat swabs in the patients with acute tonsillitis. In a group of randomly selected 60 patients with acute tonsillitis, the bacteriological results of surface and core culture materials obtained by this method had been compared. The samples for superficial cultures were obtained from the tonsillar mucosa by swabbing. Subsequently, tonsillar surface were cleared with polyvidon iodine solution followed by sterile distilled water. An 18 gauge needle were inserted approximately 1 cm into the tonsillar parenchyma. Tonsillar core material was aspirated by suction and both superficial and core specimens were immediately cultured. The cultures evaluated by routine laboratory procedures. In 15 patients who have negative superficial culture, pathogen bacterium isolated from the tonsillar core material whereas in only 2 patients in whom the core culture was negative causative bacterium identified in the surface culture. It was been concluded that the needle aspiration of tonsillar core in vivo will give valuable information which can not obtain from the throat swabs in diagnosis of acute tonsillitis especially for complicated situations where the isolation of pathogen microorganism alters the morbidity and mortality.