Ear, nose & throat · UKMLA & AKT
Quinsy/ peritonsillar abscess
A free high-yield preview for the UKMLA Applied Knowledge Test, covering how to recognise this condition. The full SA Note notes add investigations, management and complications, with practice questions on this topic.
Key high-yield points
- Sore throat - unilateral and severe (distinguishes from bilateral tonsillitis)
- Trismus - difficulty/inability to open mouth; key feature distinguishing quinsy from tonsillitis
- Uvular deviation - to the contralateral (unaffected) side due to inferomedial tonsil displacement
- Dysphagia - painful swallowing; drooling common
- Hot potato voice - muffled, hypernasal quality
- Referred otalgia - ipsilateral ear pain via Jacobson's nerve (CN IX)
- Systemic features - fever, malaise, tender ipsilateral cervical lymphadenopathy
Uvular deviation away from the swelling is the hallmark sign of quinsy. Epiglottitis also causes sore throat and 'hot potato voice' but has NO peritonsillar bulge - do not examine these patients as it may precipitate laryngospasm.
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