The role of diagnostic tools in the assessment and treatment of chronic tonsillitis

Introduction: While remaining evidence-based, modern medicine acknowledges that good treatment outcomes must be defined in terms of value and significance for the individual patient. The introduction of tools to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is revolutionizing the way the effectiveness of therapy is being assessed. Aim: The aim of this article is to review the available diagnostic instruments for the assessment of the quality of life in patients with chronic palatine tonsillitis, both before and after tonsillectomy. Material and method: The search for relevant articles was pursued within the MEDLINE, PubMed, and Scopus databases. Conclusions: In modern-day otolaryngology, the effectiveness of therapy is assessed on the basis of both objective and subjective criteria. Quality of life should be assessed using readily available, standardized, validated tools, both universal and disease-specific. The integration of psychological tests within the HRQoL assessment allows for a more holistic approach to patients so that their treatment can be better tailored to their actual, both medical and psychological, needs.