Tonsillectomy is the surgical removal of the tonsils, a pair of organs found in the back of the mouth near the base of the tongue. The tonsils are similar in structure to lymph nodes and are believed to play a similar role, namely housing white blood cells and trapping bacteria and viruses that are inhaled or ingested. However, sometimes the tonsils become infected by the bacteria/viruses they have trapped, which can lead to health problems. One solution to a chronic or recurring tonsil infection is surgical removal of the tonsils, a procedure called tonsillectomy.
Common indications
The most common reason why a tonsillectomy doctor will surgically remove the tonsils is a chronic infection of the tonsils. This condition is far more common in children than in adults, and is characterized by a sore throat, pain and difficulty in swallowing, coughing, and a fever. A single episode of such an illness is not considered to be an indication for tonsillectomy; it is only considered as an option if someone has multiple episodes of infections per year for one or two years. Before considering surgery, a tonsillectomy doctor will usually treat the patient with antibiotics first to see if that will resolve the problem. Tonsils are also sometimes removed if they are partially obstructing the airway and are contributing to loud snoring and/or sleep apnea.
The procedure
The actual surgical procedure only takes about half an hour. It is usually performed under general anesthesia. The tonsillectomy doctor accesses the tonsils through the mouth. The most common procedure to remove the tonsils simply involves cutting them out with a scalpel. In some cases, the tonsillectomy doctor may opt to ablate the tonsils using a cauterization instrument.
The recovery
Full recovery only takes about a week. Patients are expected to rest and stay home from work or school during this period. The throat will be very sore for the first day or two and it is essential to consume a liquid diet during that period of time, followed by switching to a soft diet that requires little chewing for the next three or four days. Patients are encouraged to suck on ice cubes or frozen pops to stay hydrated during the recovery period. Ice cream, warm broth, oatmeal, and apple sauce are excellent foods to consume during recovery.
Afterwards
Removal of the tonsils prevents any future infections from forming in these tissues, but it will not prevent sore throats completely. Although the tonsils are thought to play a role in immune system function, their removal doesn’t seem to result in any serious adverse effects. People without tonsils, especially if the adenoids are also removed, have a two to three fold increased rate of developing upper respiratory infections, but most patients who have them removed feel the benefits of not suffering from repeated bouts of infected tonsils is well worth it. Most people who suffer from chronic tonsillitis treated with tonsillectomy say their feelings of fatigue and not being quite right in between bouts of acute sickness were completely relieved by the procedure.