Pustulosis palmaris et plantaris due to tonsillar focal infections. From the analysis of long-term observed cases

Abstract

We studied the effects of tonsillectomy in patients with pustulosis palmaris et plantaris (PPP) and suspected of having focal tonsillar infections which could still be observed more than one year after tonsillectomy. The rate of healing with tonsillectomy, including 6 cases with remarkable effect, was 76%. The clinical findings from which we expect an effect of tonsillectomy are (a) late onset PPP and early tonsillectomy, (b) tonsils with grade I hypertrophy, oozing of pus, and localized dark-redness on the anterior palatine arches, (c) anamnestic tonsillitis, and (d) positive results both at tonsillar provocation and negation tests. From the analyses of pre- and postoperative clinical examinations we found that the preoperative values of serum complement (C3), and neutrophils, lymphocytes and eosinophils in peripheral blood were significantly depressed in the effectively treated group, compared with the 'ineffective' group or the control group.