Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy: a review of the literature.

In considering whether to refer a child for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, five questions must be answered. Is the patient's tonsillar enlargement due to infection? Do the tonsils and adenoids have a useful function at this period of the child's growth? What is the frequency of T & A? What are the cause and course of tonsillitis? What is the risk/benefit ratio of T & A? From an extensive review of the literature, this paper attempts to answer these questions.