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Tonsillectomy
Tonsil Removal Surgery; Tonsil Removal; Tonsil Surgery
A tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the tonsils. Your child might need it if they keep getting tonsillitis, have bacterial tonsillitis that doesn't get better with antibiotics, or their tonsils are too big and are causing trouble breathing or swallowing. Learn more about tonsillectomy.
Coblation Tonsillectomy Surgery
Image by Af753/Wikimedia
Tonsils & Adenoids
Image by Blausen.com staff (2014). "Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014"
Your tonsils are 2 small glands in the back of the throat, 1 on each side. They help your body deal with infections, particularly in childhood. In some situations, you may need to have an operation to remove your tonsils. This operation is called a tonsillectomy.
Tonsillectomy is a common surgery performed in children, but it is also sometimes needed for adults.
Source: Healthdirect Australia
An American text-book of the diseases of children
Image by Internet Archive Book Images/Wikimedia
You might need your tonsils taken out if you have frequent problems with inflammation or infection in your tonsils (tonsillitis) or around your tonsils. Sometimes people have their tonsils removed because they are so big that cause breathing problems or sleep disorders.
Source: Healthdirect Australia
Treating Sleep Apnea
Image by TheVisualMD
Surgery mostly benefits people who have more severe medical conditions. For example, children with frequent and severe tonsilitis as well children with severe snoring or sleep apnoea benefit from surgery. Children with less severe symptoms often improve as they get older and don’t need surgery.
Source: Healthdirect Australia
3D Medical Animation still showing Tonsillitis
Image by Scientific Animations, Inc.
You will need to fast (not have anything to eat or drink) for some time before your tonsillectomy — the hospital or your doctor will give you specific instructions about this.
There might be some medicines you should avoid before the operation, like anti-inflammatory medicines, such as ibuprofen and aspirin. If you are unsure about your medicines, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Source: Healthdirect Australia
Tonsillectomy
Image by Welleschik
You will be given a general anaesthetic, so you will be asleep for the operation. The doctor will remove the tonsils through your mouth, so there are no cuts to the skin.
Source: Healthdirect Australia
Illustration of a doctor examining the back of a patient’s throat
Image by NIH News in Health
After you wake up, you will probably still be a bit sleepy for a while, have a very sore throat and may feel nauseous or vomit. The nausea usually settles quickly, and you will be given medicines to manage your pain.
Some people will go home the day of the operation, and some will stay in hospital overnight. Children might need a week or 2 off school.
Once you go home, it might help to avoid certain foods, like oranges and lemons, which can hurt your throat.
It is normal to have a white patch in the throat where the tonsils used to be.
Source: Healthdirect Australia
15 min. after cryosurgery
Image by Cryosurgery/Wikimedia
Tonsillectomy is a safe procedure. Sometimes there can be a small amount of bleeding, or infection in the area where the tonsils used to be.
If you have fresh bleeding, or a high temperature, or you cannot eat or drink, you should call your doctor or the hospital. If the bleeding is heavy, you should go to the hospital emergency department immediately.
If you live in a rural or remote area, it is important to stay close to the hospital in which you had your surgery for 1 to 2 weeks after surgery, due to the risk of bleeding.
Source: Healthdirect Australia
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