Tonsillectomy
Surgical removal of the tonsils / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure in which both palatine tonsils are fully removed from the back of the throat.[1] The procedure is mainly performed for recurrent tonsillitis, throat infections and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).[1] 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.[1][2] In children with OSA, it results in improved quality of life.[3]
While generally safe, complications may include bleeding, vomiting, dehydration, trouble eating, and trouble talking.[1] Throat pain typically lasts about one to two weeks after surgery.[1][4] Bleeding occurs in about 1% within the first day and another 2% after that.[1] Between 1 in 2,360 and 1 in 56,000 procedures cause death.[1] Tonsillectomy does not appear to affect long term immune function.[1][5]
Following the surgery, ibuprofen and paracetamol (acetaminophen) may be used to treat postoperative pain.[1] The surgery is often done using metal instruments or electrocautery.[1][6] The adenoid may also be removed or shaved down, in which case it is known as an "adenotonsillectomy".[1] The partial removal of the tonsils is called a "tonsillotomy", which may be preferred in cases of OSA.[1][7][8][9]
The surgery has been described since at least as early as 50 AD by Celsus.[10] In the United States, as of 2010, tonsillectomy is performed less frequently than in the 1970s although it remains the second most common outpatient surgical procedure in children.[1] The typical cost when done as an inpatient in the United States is US$4,400 as of 2013.[11] There is some controversy as of 2019 as to when the surgery should be used.[1][2] There are variations in the rates of tonsillectomy between and within countries.[12][13]