What is a Tonsillectomy?
A tonsillectomy is the surgical removal of the tonsils, glands in the throat that are meant to help fight infection. In some cases, the tonsils are large, or repeatedly become infected instead of fighting infection and must be removed. The tonsillectomy procedure is often combined with an adenoidectomy, which is the removal of an additional set of glands that are also in the throat.
Tonsillectomies are most commonly performed on children, but adults do have the surgery, often when the tonsils are causing a breathing problem like sleep apnea.
One tool for preparing children for a tonsillectomy is a tonsillectomy coloring book, like this one from ArthroCare ENT, which explains the procedure in easy to understand language.
Tonsillectomy Surgical Procedure
In most cases, a tonsillectomy is an outpatient procedure, which allows the patient to go home once they are fully awake from surgery. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia, so the patient is asleep through the surgery, which is usually completed in less than an hour.
Instead of the typical method of intubation, where a breathing tube is passed through the mouth into the airway, the patient is intubated nasally, with the tube inserted in the nose and down into the airway, keeping the mouth available for the surgical procedure.
Once the patient is asleep, the surgery begins. An instrument is used to hold the mouth open, allowing the surgeon to work without the teeth in the way.
The tonsils are then cut away with a scalpel, a laser or a heated instrument. The bleeding is typically controlled by cauterizing the incision. If necessary, an adenoidectomy is also performed, using the same technique.
Once the tonsils and potentially the adenoids are removed and the bleeding is controlled, the surgery is over. The anesthesiologist stops the anesthesia and gives a drug to help the patient wake. When the patient is awake enough to breath without assistance, the breathing tube is removed and the patient is taken to the PACU, or post anesthesia care unit, until they wake completely.
More Important Information: About Tonsillectomy
Sources: Fact Sheet: Tonsillectomy. American Academy of Otolaryngology. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/tonsillectomyProcedures.cfm
