Surgical removal of the tonsils.
A surgical operation to remove the tonsils.
Surgical removal of the palatine tonsils, usually performed to prevent recurrent streptococcal infections; often performed together with adenoidectomy.
Surgical removal of the tonsils as a treatment for severe, recurrent tonsillitis or for tonsils that obstruct the airway. A tonsillectomy is most commonly performed on children who are 6 or 7 years old. Generally, if a child gets tonsillitis with high fever three or more times a year, the doctor will recommend a tonsillectomy.
Surgical removal of the tonsils. This procedure is typically performed for children with recurrent infections of the throat, or peritonsilar abscess, although it may also be used when enlarged tonsils cause obstructive sleep apnea. Whether the procedure is advisable in children with recurrent pharyngeal infections is a matter of debate. Complications of the procedure may include local bleeding, throat pain, injury to the upper airway, and aspiration pneumonia, among others.
Surgical extraction of the tonsils is now conducted exclusively when a patient experiences frequent and recurring episodes of severe tonsillitis. This procedure is also utilized as a remedy for quinsy, which involves an abscess forming around the tonsil.
Tonsillectomy, the procedure of removing a tonsil, is now less common than it used to be. It’s understood nowadays that many reasons for tonsil removal in children aren’t justifiable. Often, it’s the adenoids that need to be removed to improve eustachian tube drainage, not the tonsils. Parents sometimes believe that tonsillectomy will lead to a significant boost in their child’s health, but such beliefs are mostly unfounded. Tonsils are typically removed because they are infected and pose a risk of causing future complications, not because their removal will result in an immediate enhancement of health. The one definitive reason to perform a tonsillectomy is a history of peritonsillar abscess, also known as quinsy. After a quinsy resolves, it can leave behind an infected area that becomes a hotbed for bacteria. Tonsil removal is the only way to eliminate this space and prevent further infection.