St. Adalbert's Hospital > Tonsillectomy Procedure

Tonsillectomy Procedure

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Tonsils are two small glands located at the sides of the throat, one on the right and one on the left. In children tonsils have an important function of defending the body against infections. However, during adolescence they no longer have this function and decrease in size. Acute tonsil inflammation, also known as step throat, is a condition treated with antibiotics. If the inflammation becomes chronic and antibiotics no longer work, the affected tonsils must be surgically removed.

Benefits:

elimination of the source of infection and a decrease in the number of step throat infections,
decreased risk of inflammations of joints, kidneys and heart,
elimination of halitosis (bad breath),
reduced snoring.
better skin.

Indications:

in children

recurrent throat infections (several times a year),
paediatric sleep apnea associated with massively enlarged tonsils.

Indications:

in adults

recurrent throat infections (several times a year),
joint, kidney and heart diseases,
acne not responding to treatment,
snoring and sleep apnea,
halitosis (bad breath).

Contraindications:

taking blood thinning medications,
active respiratory tract infection,
bad general condition,
conditions when anaesthesia cannot be applied,
allergy to anaesthetics,
age under 3 years.

FAQ

Will the child be more prone to bronchitis and pneumonia after the tonsils are removed?: No. In children palatine tonsils have a protective function, but when they are constantly infected, instead of protecting the child they become a source of infection. In many cases in children we remove only a part of the enlarged tonsil.
Does it hurt?: No. The procedure is performed under general anaesthesia. For about 10 days after the procedure the patient may feel pain while swallowing, or may feel burning sensation in the throat, or pain radiating to the ears, jaws or neck. Pain medications are usually necessary after the procedure.
When can I return to normal activity?: In a majority of cases you can leave hospital on the day after the procedure. However, we recommend a few days’ rest at home. If you have a manual job, or actively practice sports, you may resume normal activities 14 days after the procedure.

Eligibility:

The decision on your surgery is taken during a pre-operative visit when a doctor assesses your eligibility, selects the optimum procedure and orders necessary tests. The decision is made on the basis of test results and your general condition. Then a convenient date is selected.

Before the procedure:

Before the procedure you should have the following blood tests done: full blood count, INR, APTT and blood type with immune antibodies (not earlier than 2 weeks before the procedure).
If you have other medical conditions, please consult your attending doctors and bring a certificate that there are no contraindications to the surgical procedure.
If you are on anticoagulant treatment, you should switch to subcutaneous injections for 7 days before the procedure and 10 days after the procedure.
Consult with the operating doctor whether to take any medications on the day of the procedure.
You should not eat or drink anything for 6 hours before the procedure.

Procedure:

The procedure is performed under general anaesthesia.
Tonsils are removed through the mouth, there are no incisions outside.
The procedurę usually lasts about 30 to 45 minutes.

Techniques:

Conventional technique:

The palatopharyngeal arches are incised and the tonsil is taken out with the surrounding sac using a standard set of surgical instruments.
Blood loss is reduced by coagulation with the use of bipolar tweezers.

Coblation is a cutting-edge minimally invasive technique for removing tonsils.
In this technique low-temperature plasma is created in a saline environment, which can precisely cut tissues and close blood vessels at the same time.
Coblation technique significantly reduces the risk of post-operative bleeding and decreases post-operative pain.

After the procedure:

When in home please follow the guidelines below:

Drink a lot of cool water.
Eat tepid and soft food.
Eat ice cream to reduce swelling and pain.
Avoid hot and spicy food, alcohol, fizzy drink and citrus juice.
Limit physical exertion for 14 days.

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+48 61 62 33 111

Wielkopolskie Centrum Medyczne
Sp z o.o. S.K.A

st. Bolesława Krzywoustego 114
61-144 Poznań, POLAND

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