The authors analyzed retrospectively 1889 case-records of patients who were indicated for tonsillectomy in 1985 - 1995. Most frequently the patients were indicated on accunt of chronic tonsillitis, 1446 patients, i.e. 77.6%. The diagnosis of chronic tonsillitis was related to the Pittsburgh study and met essentially its criteria. From the number of 1446 patients in 422 patients the indication was influenced by the presence of another disease, such as arthralgia, paratonsillar abscess in the history, skin diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, foetor ex ore, gynaecological disease, ophthalmological complications, immunodeficiency, haematological disease, sacroillitis, proctoco- litis. In 340 patients unilateral TE was performed on account of a paratonsillar abscess, in 16 because of suspected malignity, in 61 children unilateral TE on account of hypertrophy of the palatine tonsils and in six instances because of a processus styloideus elongatus, where TE made the access to the parapharyngeal space possible.

        Key words: tonsillectomy, indications for surgery, chronic tonsillitis.