Few absolute criteria for tonsillectomy exist other than blockage severe enough to cause a lack of oxygen in the body and cardiopulmonary changes. The following may indicate the need for a tonsillectomy:. The child has a severe sore throat seven times in one year, or five in each of two years, or three in each of three years. The child has a throat infection severe enough to cause an abscess, or an area of pus and swelling, behind the tonsils. As with all elective surgeries, the risks of surgery, including the risks of general anesthesia, hemorrhage, postoperative nausea and vomiting, as well as school absence for the child and work absence for the parent, must be weighed against the benefits.
Any decision regarding tonsillectomy should be made in collaboration with the family, surgeon and pediatrician. Tonsillectomies are usually same-day surgery, but doctors may suggest an overnight stay for very young patients. Other conditions can easily be mistaken for a tonsil cyst, such as tonsillitis, strep throat, or….
Tonsillitis is more commonly seen in children, but it can occur in adults, too. We explain the symptoms, treatment options, and when to seek help for…. Tonsillitis is contagious, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk for catching or spreading this infection. Tonsil stones, which are caused by calcium deposits in your tonsils, sometimes dislodge by themselves.
Anthropophobia is a fear of people. Typically, a fear of people is associated with…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M. Causes Other symptoms Could it be cancer? Other symptoms. Could it be cancer? Home remedies. When to see a doctor. The bottom line. Read this next. Tonsillar Hypertrophy. Medically reviewed by Elaine K. Luo, M. This is needed for patients who have Obstructive Sleep Apnea with enlarged tonsils. If your child is having disturbed sleep that results in problems with sleepiness or behavior in the daytime, tonsillectomy may also be recommended.
Commonly, when the tonsils are enlarged, the adenoids are also enlarged and will be removed called an adenoidectomy during the same surgery. Skip to Content. Urgent Care. In This Section. To help determine whether infections are the cause of enlarged tonsils, doctors ask how many episodes of strep throat children have had during the past 1 to 3 years. Usually, to view the back of the nose and throat, doctors insert a flexible viewing tube through the nose called a nasopharyngoscope.
Doctors also look for redness of the tonsils, enlargement of lymph nodes at the jaw and in the neck, and the effect of the tonsils on breathing.
In such cases, doctors may recommend the child undergo a sleep study polysomnography Testing The most commonly reported sleep-related problems are insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness. Insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, waking up early, or a disturbance in For this test, the child is monitored while sleeping overnight in a sleep laboratory and chest x-rays and certain measurements, including oxygen levels in the blood, are taken.
If they think the cause is allergies, doctors may give a nasal corticosteroid spray or other drugs, such as antihistamines, by mouth. If the cause appears to be a bacterial infection, doctors may give antibiotics. If these drugs are not effective or if doctors think they will not be useful, doctors may recommend surgical removal of the adenoids called adenoidectomy and possibly removal of the tonsils called tonsillectomy during the same operation.
Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are very common operations for children in the United States. Children who benefit from these operations include those who have the following:. Multiple throat infections defined by some doctors as more than six infections in 1 year, more than four infections a year for 2 years, or more than two infections a year for 3 years.
Removing enlarged tonsils and adenoids is useful when enlargement causes extreme discomfort, breathing problems, or recurring infections. Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy do not seem to decrease the frequency or severity of colds or cough.
Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are often done on an outpatient basis. These operations should be done at least 2 weeks after any infection has cleared. The surgical complication rate is low, but postoperative pain and difficulty swallowing caused by tonsillectomy may last up to 2 weeks. Children typically recover from adenoidectomy in 2 to 3 days.
Bleeding resulting from tonsillectomy is a less common complication but may occur at 2 peak times, within 24 hours after surgery or at about 7 days after surgery. Bleeding after surgery may be serious or even life-threatening in children. Children who have bleeding after surgery should go to the hospital or doctor's office. Merck and Co. From developing new therapies that treat and prevent disease to helping people in need, we are committed to improving health and well-being around the world.
0コメント