{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T13:08:39Z","timestamp":1773925719227,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773878400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is a common deep neck infection associated with significant healthcare resource utilization. Needle aspiration (NA) and\/or incision &amp; drainage (ID) are the most frequently used treatment modalities; however, their comparative clinical outcomes remain controversial. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 185 adult patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of PTA between January 2018 and January 2026 at a tertiary care center. Patients aged \u226518 years who underwent NA or ID were included. Demographic characteristics, clinical findings, laboratory parameters at admission, treatment-related variables (type and number of interventions, drainage volume, adjunctive corticosteroid use), microbiological results, and length of hospital stay were recorded. Patients were categorized according to the drainage method performed (NA vs. ID). Results: A total of 185 patients were included, of whom 87 (47%) underwent NA and 98 (53%) underwent ID. There were no significant differences between groups in age, sex, or length of hospital stay (p &gt; 0.05). CRP levels and lymphocyte counts were significantly higher in the NA group (p = 0.028 and p = 0.009, respectively), whereas drainage volume and number of interventions were significantly higher in the ID group (p &lt; 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). Successful resolution on the first attempt was more frequent in the ID group (89.8% vs. 75.9%, p = 0.011), while steroid use was more common in the NA group (16.1% vs. 2.0%, p = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, drainage volume, first-attempt success, and corticosteroid use were independently associated with the choice of drainage method (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: Both NA and ID are effective treatment options for PTA; however, ID was associated with higher first-attempt success and greater drainage volume. Indeed, NA was more frequently accompanied by steroid therapy. These findings suggest that treatment modality selection may influence short-term clinical outcomes in patients with PTA.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15062347","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T08:54:37Z","timestamp":1773910477000},"page":"2347","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Comparative Clinical Outcomes of Needle Aspiration and Incision &amp; Drainage in Peritonsillar Abscess"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-9328-7080","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Melih","family":"Alpay","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otolaryngology, Bursa High Specialty Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Bursa 16310, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0392-9280","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nesibe G\u00fcl","family":"Y\u00fcksel Aslier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otolaryngology, Bursa High Specialty Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Bursa 16310, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mert An\u0131l","family":"Dani\u015fman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otolaryngology, Bursa High Specialty Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Bursa 16310, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Fuat","family":"Bulut","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otolaryngology, Bursa High Specialty Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Bursa 16310, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Betul","family":"Agirgol","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otolaryngology, Bursa High Specialty Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Bursa 16310, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Hakk\u0131 Caner","family":"Inan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otolaryngology, Bursa High Specialty Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Bursa 16310, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"162","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amjoto.2008.12.003","article-title":"Changing trends of peritonsillar abscess","volume":"31","author":"Marom","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am. J. Otolaryngol."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"199","DOI":"10.1177\/0194599816639551","article-title":"Peritonsillar abscess: Complication of acute tonsillitis or Weber\u2019s glands infection?","volume":"155","author":"Klug","year":"2016","journal-title":"Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2706","DOI":"10.1002\/lary.29677","article-title":"The surgical treatment of peritonsillar abscess: A retrospective analysis in 584 patients","volume":"131","author":"Hahn","year":"2021","journal-title":"Laryngoscope"},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"Doc08","article-title":"Specified data for tonsil surgery in Germany","volume":"15","author":"Windfuhr","year":"2016","journal-title":"GMS Curr. Top. Otorhinolaryngol. Head Neck Surg."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Slouka, D., Hanakova, J., Kostlivy, T., Skopek, P., Kubec, V., Babuska, V., Pecen, L., Topolcan, O., and Kucera, R. (2020). Epidemiological and microbiological aspects of the peritonsillar abscess. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17114020"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.1186\/s12941-020-00375-x","article-title":"Complications of peritonsillar abscess","volume":"19","author":"Klug","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ann. Clin. Microbiol. Antimicrob."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1721","DOI":"10.1007\/s00405-019-05424-6","article-title":"Peritonsillar abscess is frequently accompanied by sepsis symptoms","volume":"276","year":"2019","journal-title":"Eur. Arch. Oto-Rhino-Laryngol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"989","DOI":"10.1007\/s00405-016-3904-x","article-title":"Clinical practice guideline: Tonsillitis II. Surgical management","volume":"273","author":"Windfuhr","year":"2016","journal-title":"Eur. Arch. Oto-Rhino-Laryngol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2273.2007.01412.x","article-title":"Quinsy treated by aspiration: The volume of pus at initial aspiration is an accurate predictor of the need for subsequent re-aspiration","volume":"32","author":"Viljoen","year":"2007","journal-title":"Clin. Otolaryngol."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2595","DOI":"10.1007\/s00405-019-05542-1","article-title":"Comparison of needle aspiration versus incision and drainage under local anaesthesia for the initial treatment of peritonsillar abscess","volume":"276","author":"Mansour","year":"2019","journal-title":"Eur. Arch. Oto-Rhino-Laryngol."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"332","DOI":"10.1067\/mhn.2003.93","article-title":"An evidence-based review of the treatment of peritonsillar abscess","volume":"128","author":"Johnson","year":"2003","journal-title":"Otolaryngol. Head. Neck Surg."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.21053\/ceo.2014.01851","article-title":"The efficacy of corticosteroids in the treatment of peritonsillar abscess: A meta-analysis","volume":"9","author":"Lee","year":"2016","journal-title":"Clin. Exp. Otorhinolaryngol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"291","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anl.2017.04.008","article-title":"Is corticosteroid a treatment choice for the management of peritonsillar abscess?","volume":"45","author":"Alakhras","year":"2018","journal-title":"Auris Nasus Larynx"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1186\/s12941-023-00649-0","article-title":"Unveiling the etiology of peritonsillar abscess using next generation sequencing","volume":"22","author":"Saar","year":"2023","journal-title":"Ann. Clin. Microbiol. Antimicrob."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"549","DOI":"10.1007\/s10096-014-2260-2","article-title":"Epidemiology, clinical history and microbiology of peritonsillar abscess","volume":"34","author":"Mazur","year":"2015","journal-title":"Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"890","DOI":"10.1017\/S0022215118001585","article-title":"Analysis of smoking behaviour in patients with peritonsillar abscess: A prospective, matched case-control study","volume":"132","author":"Schwarz","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Laryngol. Otol."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"347","DOI":"10.21053\/ceo.2020.02257","article-title":"Type 2 diabetes mellitus increases peritonsillar abscess susceptibility: Real-world evidence","volume":"14","author":"Wu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clin. Exp. Otorhinolaryngol."}],"container-title":["Journal of Clinical Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/15\/6\/2347\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T09:30:01Z","timestamp":1773912601000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/15\/6\/2347"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]]},"references-count":17,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3]]}},"alternative-id":["jcm15062347"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jcm15062347","relation":{},"ISSN":["2077-0383"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2077-0383","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]]}}}