Tonsils Increase in Weight during Growth

Purpose: During my 40 years of performing tonsillectomy, I have noticed that tonsils seem to increase in size with aging. The purpose was to study the relationship between the weight of tonsils and patients’ age. Subjects and Methods: Tonsillectomies were performed in 1246 patients diagnosed with sleep disorders with hypertrophied tonsils. The excised tonsils were weighed. Results: 1) The number of male tonsillectomy cases was 2.3 times higher than the number of female cases; 2) Most tonsillectomies were performed in children three to six years of age, and in adults who were around 30 years old; 3) The maximum age of the male patients was 57 years and that of the female patients was 63 years; 4) The weight of tonsils increased with age in the males, but the maximum weight of female tonsils was reached at around nine years of age; 5) Tonsils of males were heavier and larger than those of females of the same age; 6) A high degree of correlation was observed between the weights of the right and left tonsils of a subject. Conclusions: 1) The weight of tonsils increased with growth; 2) Tonsils in males were more hypertrophic than those in females; 3) The age distribution of the cases suggested that the lifespan of these patients is shorter than the norm; 4) The ideal age at which to perform tonsillectomy is thought in two to three years; 5) A high degree of corelation eixists between the weight of the right and left tonsils of a subject.