Tonsillectomy

Uncommon card · No. 143675

Tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure in which both palatine tonsils are fully removed from the back of the throat. The procedure is mainly performed for recurrent tonsillitis, throat infections and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). For those with frequent throat infections, surgery results in 0.6 (95% confidence interval: 1.0 to 0.1) fewer sore throats in the following year, but there is no evidence of long-term benefits. In children with OSA, it results in improved quality of life. While generally safe, complications may include bleeding, vomiting, dehydration, trouble eating, and trouble talking. Throat pain typically lasts about one to two weeks after surgery. Bleeding occurs in about 1% within the first day and another 2% after that. Between 1 in 2,360 and 1 in 56,000 procedures cause death. Tonsillectomy does not appear to affect long-term immune function. Following the surgery, ibuprofen and paracetamol (acetaminophen) may be used to treat postoperative pain. The surgery is often done...

Read on Wikipedia · Image James Heilman, MD, CC BY-SA 3.0