Tonsillectomy

What Is A Tonsillectomy? 

The tonsils are two lumps of tissue located on either side of the back of the throat. They are often removed when they become enlarged due to infection. A tonsillectomy is the surgical procedure that removes these infected or enlarged tonsils. Often, the adenoids, which are located just above the tonsils behind the nose, are also removed at the same time as a tonsillectomy if they have become enlarged as well (adenoid hypertrophy). When the adenoids are removed, it is known as an adenoidectomy. A tonsillectomy can be performed by ear, nose and throat doctors. 

Why Is A Tonsillectomy Performed? 

A tonsillectomy is considered necessary if a patient has had several throat infections in a short period of time, or is suffering an ongoing case of tonsillitis that does not respond to treatment with medication. Additionally, patients suffering from upper airway restrictions due to enlarged tonsils may need a tonsillectomy to relieve snoring or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A tonsillectomy may be performed in a variety of ways and is often combined with the removal of the adenoids. The surgical method chosen is dependent on the patient’s overall medical condition and the severity of the infection. 

Is Age A Factor For A Person Requiring A Tonsillectomy? 

Age itself isn’t the issue, it’s the number of times the child or adult has tonsillitis. 

The same is true with airway obstruction by the person having enlarged tonsils. This isn’t an age problem, it’s tissue size that matters. Again, the damage that occurs from sleep apnea outweighs the value of a person keeping his or her tonsils. 

What Are The Benefits Of Having A Tonsillectomy? 

People normally think of teenagers having their tonsils out, and that is still done but nowhere as often as back in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Today, adults can be just as likely to have a tonsillectomy, as they suffer from frequent severe sore throats, sleep apnea, and they’re missing too much time from work.  

Here are five benefits to having your tonsils removed if you’re prone to tonsillitis: 

Fewer infections

Once your tonsils are removed, you will be much less prone to throat infections caused by bacterial infection. You’ll still be at risk for colds and viruses, but these will be less likely to evolve into persistent infections. Surgery could be a good idea if you’ve had tonsillitis at least seven times in one year, five infections per year for two consecutive years, or three infections per year for three consecutive years.

Improved quality of life

The chronic pain and sore throat associated with tonsillitis can get in the way of living. You need to miss work or school. You’ll have to cancel social functions. You can fear winters because it seems you have a sore throat all the time.

Less medication

Less medication is always good. Without your persistent infections, you’ll need far fewer antibiotic prescriptions, which is good, because while antibiotics do help fight your infection, they also kill good bacteria (such as that needed for proper digestion) at the same time.

Improved slee

Adults with frequent tonsillitis often also have sleep apnea, where their sleep is interrupted many times per night when swollen tissues block airflow. Sleep apnea has numerous side effects, such as increased car accidents, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, daytime sleepiness, irritability, brain fog, and others. 

Less missing work or school

When you have tonsillitis, you’re going to miss work or school. Without the frequent infections, your absences will decrease.

What Are The Potential Risks Involved With A Tonsillectomy?

These are common surgeries, but they are still surgery, so they run the risks involved with any surgery. These include reaction to anaesthesia, excessive bleeding, and infection. There is also a risk of bleeding during your recovery if the scab over one of both incisions is dislodged. 

Where Is A Tonsillectomy Performed?

The tonsillectomy procedure is an outpatient surgery in children 12 and younger, performed under general anaesthesia. In general, children who undergo the procedure are discharged within 4-6 hours. Sometimes, when a patient is suffering from OSA, they are kept overnight for further monitoring during sleep. 

Older children and adults are normally kept overnight.

What Is Recovery Like After A Tonsillectomy? 

Unfortunately, these can be relatively painful recoveries. That’s because the area of the tonsils is quite sensitive and has plenty of nerve coverage. It’s important to take it easy for several days after your surgery. Your throat will, of course, be sore. But you may also have soreness in your jaw, ears, or even your neck.  

Dr. Grundlingh will prescribe prescription pain medication. 

Staying hydrated is very important, but you don’t want to hurt your throat. If you don’t like the feeling of drinking immediately, slowly dissolving ice chips is a good way to both get some water and to keep your mouth and the surgical area cool. You can eat ice cream, pudding, and yogurt. As soon as you can eat other foods that are easy to chew and swallow, you should bring those back into your diet. Nothing acidic, spicy, crunchy, or hard should even be contemplated, as they can all cause pain and/or bleeding. 

You may have swelling in your throat and with your tongue. You may have a feeling of having something stuck in your throat (that’s the swelling). If you swallowed any blood, you’ll likely have some vomiting. Your breath won’t be exactly minty fresh as the tissues heal in the back of your mouth. 

You will need to fully avoid strenuous activity for two weeks. This is no time to tough it out. You don’t want to elevate blood pressure to your facial area. 

Most people can return to school or work within two weeks after a tonsillectomy. 

 Dr Grundlingh now uses a new technique to remove the Tonsils, called Intracapsular Tonsillectomy, using coblation. The capsule of the tonsil is left behind resulting in much less pain and significant reduction in complications such as bleeding.