摘要
AbstractObjective:This review aims to discuss the basic anatomy and physiology of the palatine and pharyngeal tonsils, with reference to how this foundational understanding may affect patient management and surgical procedures in these regions of the upper airway.Methods:A literature search was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar using the MeSH terms tonsils, adenoids, anatomy, physiology, and adenotonsillectomy. Primary sources were excluded if they were abstracts only, non-English language, or non-human studies. Thirty-five sources were included in this review.Results and conclusions:The pharyngeal and palatine tonsils are compact yet physiologically complex mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues that make up a portion of Waldeyer’s ring. As part of the mucosal immune system, these structures function in exogenous antigen sampling and stimulation of immune responses. Aberrant immune activation and/or regulation can lead to a myriad of pathologies, with adenotonsillar hypertrophy, chronic tonsillitis/adenoiditis, and recurrent otitis media among the most commonly encountered conditions by otolaryngologists. While the pathophysiology of these conditions is still incompletely understood, current evidence and future investigations may reveal patterns amenable to targeted medical management. When medical management fails, tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy may be indicated for patient care. Though routine procedures, the execution of tonsil and/or adenoid removal requires a thorough understanding of the anatomy of these lymphoepithelial organs so as to minimize the risk for rare serious complications that can occur.
机构地区
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS, USA,Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Children’s Mercy Hospital and Clinics, Kansas City, MO, USA Department of Surgery - University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Ka
出版日期
2021年08月14日（中国Betway体育网页登陆平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）
