Tonsillectomy
Tonsillectomy (TE) is a surgical procedure during which an otorhinolaryngologist removes the palatine tonsils (tonsillae palatinae).
Indication[edit | edit source]
TE should not be indicated in children before the age of 5 because of the immunological role of the tonsils.
Indications for tonsillectomy can be divided into local and general.
Local causes of TE indication[edit | edit source]
- chronic tonsillitis;
- recurrent angina;
- hypertrophy of the tonsils resulting in dysphagia, dyspnoea or slurred speech;
- specific inflammation (TBC, syphilis);
- tonsil tumor or suspicion of it;
- SAS (sleep apnea syndrome);
- parapharyngeal or paratonsillar abscess.
Common causes of TE indication[edit | edit source]
- tonsillogenic sepsis;
- metatonsillar complication (rheumatic fever).
Contraindications are agranulocytosis and blood diseases with coagulation disorders.[1]
Execution[edit | edit source]
In children, TE is performed under general anesthesia,in adults it can also be performed under local anesthesia.
- We slowly dissect the tonsil and the capsule from the tonsillar bed.
- The tonsil can be removed using a tonsillar loop.
- Bleeding is stopped with a tourniquet.
After the procedure, we give the patient analgetics, apply cold compresses and, in indicated cases, administer antibiotics.
For non-infectious hypertrophy of the tonsils radiofrequency ablation or tonsillotomy (partial removal of the tonsils with a loop or laser – now no longer performed, because massive scarring and chronic inflammation in the rest of the tonsils [1]) is being discussed.
Complications[edit | edit source]
In theory, it is possible to injure the internal carotid artery and the ascending pharyngeal artery during TE, fortunately this does not happen in practice.
Links[edit | edit source]
Related Articles[edit | edit source]
External link[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- KLOZAR, Jan, et al. Speciální otorinolaryngologie. 1. edition. Galén, 2005. 224 pp. ISBN 80-7262-346-X.
- VYHNÁNKOVÁ, Ludmila. Tonsillitis chronica a indikace k tonzilektomii. Pediatrie pro praxi [online]. 2008, y. 9, vol. 6, p. 361-363, Available from <http://www.solen.cz/pdfs/ped/2008/06/02.pdf>. ISSN 1803-5264.
