[Recurrent pharyngitis. Indications for tonsillectomy].

In the absence of proven facilitating factor, recurrent tonsillitis occurs at all ages but it is particularly frequent in children aged from 6 to 12 years. Anatomical changes in the tonsils and the presence in their tissue of a complex beta-lactamase-producing bacterial flora explain the difficulties and failures of antibiotic therapy and the need for tonsillectomy in many cases. This operation is also increasingly performed for reasons that have nothing to do with infections. It is often necessary in the hypoventilation syndrome due to upper pharyngeal obstruction when the responsibility of the tonsils is either obvious or demonstrated by more or less complex investigations. Constitutional allergy is no longer a formal contra-indication to tonsillectomy.