What is this white spot in my throat?

Question

Hello doctor,

I had my tonsils removed at the end of last year and from about a month ago, on one side, I noticed this white circle in my throat. It has not gotten any bigger or smaller but it has me worried because it does not look normal. It has no veins or anything though. Is it just a funny-looking scarring from the surgery or something to worry about? I am attaching the pictures. I have brightened it for you so you can see it better.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

From the photo you have attached (attachment removed to protect patient identity), it seems like a hypertrophied lymphoid tissue. Apart from tonsils, there are many small lymphoid tissues in and around our throat. Once the tonsils are removed, sometimes they get excessive immune-related stimulus and get enlarged. It is nothing to worry about, and for all practical purposes, it can be considered normal. You need to consult a nearby ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist, only if you get symptoms of inflammation such as a throat pain.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com. After tonsillectomy, a throat pain can be due to pharyngitis. Even if the lymphoid tissue is inflamed, it can cause a throat pain. But a pain, in this case, would be milder and will not recur regularly unlike tonsillitis.

Answer 3

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I examined the picture you have sent (attachment removed to protect patient identity). Usually in chronic tonsillitis, which you had, one of the diagnostic sign is flushing or congestion of the anterior pillar. Here, there will be redness of localized area of the anterior pillar which is present in front of tonsils. Redness occurs because of repeated inflammation and chronically increased blood supply. The redness which you have marked corresponds to an anterior pillar, and I think it just confirms that you had chronic tonsillitis. Even post-surgical healing can sometimes cause inflammatory changes and can create localized congested areas. The redness is because of enlarged and increased number of capillaries which are smallest branches of the vascular system. Localized congestion is not a disease, and you need not worry about it.

Answer 4

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Palatine tonsils, commonly called as tonsils, are paired lymphoid structures in our throat. It serves the purpose of local immunity in our childhood. In adults, they have no function to serve but can become a site for repeated infections, and it is known as chronic tonsillitis. Usually, symptoms include repeated attacks of throat pain associated with fever and difficulty in swallowing. Sometimes symptoms become very recurrent and troublesome that we surgeons decide surgically remove them by a surgical procedure known as tonsillectomy as a permanent cure for repeated problems. There are other reasons doing tonsillectomy too such as obstructive sleep apnea, tonsillar stone, huge tonsils, etc.