Thirty patients with the first episode of peritonsillar abscess who had been treated from January 1992 to December 1994 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients who had been treated with elective tonsillectomy were excluded. The patients were observed for a minimum of 6 months and they were devided two group : forteen patients in group I were treated with aspiration and sixteen patients in group II were treated with incision and drainage (I & D). All patients were initially given the same antibiotics. We compared the safty and effectiveness of the treatment between the two groups. The average hospital stay was 5.8 days (range : 2 to 7 days) in group I and 6.0 days (range : 2 to 7 days) in group II. The recurrence rate was 14.2% in two group. The recurred patients were also cured with these treatments. These results suggest that a needle aspiration with intravenous antibiotics is an easier procedure than I & D and the tonsillectomy may not be recommanded to the patient with the first episode of peritonsillar abscess.