[The rationale for the conservative treatment of chronic tonsillitis in the patients of the older age groups by the <<soft>> therapy methods].

The objective of the present study was to develop an efficient system for the treatment of chronic tonsillitis in the patients of advanced and middle age based on the application of polyvalent bacteriophages in the combination with the physical factors and herbal medicines. The study involved 65 patients (39 women and 276 men) at the age from 65 to 73 years presenting with chronic tonsillitis. The treatment included washing the tonsillar lacunae with herbal infusion consisting of a tetterwort (Choledoniummajus) extract. This procedure was followed by phonophoresiswith the use of the combined polyvalent bacteriophage preparation in the non-liquid formulation during 7-10 days. The effectiveness of such treatment was evaluated based on the results of clinical examination and the analysis of the subjective feelings reported by the patients. In addition, the rosette-forming function of lymphocytes was estimated and palatine tonsil microbiotas in different patients were compared. The effectiveness of therapy was estimated at 89.2%. The positive outcome of the proposed treatment was documented in 78.6% of the cases within 6 months after the onset of therapy. It is concluded that the treatment of chronic tonsillitis with bacteriophagal preparations and herbal infusions in combination with thetraditionallow-frequency ultrasound treatment is highly efficacious (favourable outcome in 78.6% of the patients of middle and advanced age) without the use of antibiotic medications.