Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy

The tonsils are located above and behind the tongue on either side of the throat. These structures are a part of the lymph system and are responsible for monitoring potentially harmful bacteria and helping to fight infection . However, they are not very effective at this function because people who have their tonsils removed do not get more infections than the rest of us. Occasionally, however, they can become infected themselves, causing pain and swelling in the throat, difficulty swallowing, fever, and chills. When this happens only rarely the treatment is antibiotics. Tonsillectomy was once an almost standard childhood procedure for infections of the tonsils, but is now reserved for severe or recurrent conditions. Patients whom get recurrent tonsil infections, more than several a year, are best served by removal of the tonsils. There are a variety of techniques to remove tonsils including, traditional tonsillectomy with cold knife or cautery, coballation, and intracapsular partial tonsillectomy. All are effective techniques that need to be used for the right patient and the appropriate condition. Another common reason to remove the tonsil is when the tonsils are large and obstructing breathing. If tonsils are large but are not causing any breathing problems, sleep disturbance (sleep apnea), or infection then they do not need to be removed.

Adenoids are another part of the lymph system, located at the very back of the nasal airway, where the nose opens into the throat, just above the back of the palate. Adjacent to the adenoids on the both sides of the back of the nose are the openings of the internal tubes that drain the ears (eustacian tubes). Like tonsils, adenoids are part of our immune surveillance, but again their absence does not cause an increase in infections. Adenoids cause problems in several ways: 1. They can become infected and swollen themselves, and lead to recurrent infections. 2. When enlarged they can block breathing through the nose or block the drainage path of the eustacian tubes. If adenoids cause chronic problems then surgical removal will be necessary. Adenoidectomy or removal of adenoids is done through the mouth; it is a simple procedure that takes only a few minutes, and recovery is very sjmple, and painless.

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To learn more about these and other types of head/neck surgery, contact our Los Angeles-area practice in Beverly Hills, serving all of Southern California.