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Why it's done
By Mayo Clinic staff
A tonsillectomy is used to treat:
- Recurring, chronic or severe tonsillitis
- Complications of enlarged tonsils
- Other rare diseases of the tonsils
Tonsillitis
Tonsils produce certain types of disease-fighting white blood cells. Therefore, the tonsils are believed to act as the immune system's first line of defense against bacteria and viruses that enter your mouth.
This function may make them particularly vulnerable to infection and inflammation. The problem is more common in children because the immune system function of tonsils is most active before puberty.
A tonsillectomy may be recommended to prevent frequent, recurring episodes of tonsillitis. Frequent is generally defined as:
- More than five to seven episodes in one year
- More than four episodes a year over two years
- More than three episodes a year over three years
The procedure may also be recommended if:
- A bacterial infection causing tonsillitis doesn't improve with antibiotic treatment
- An infection that results in a collection of pus behind a tonsil (tonsillar abscess) doesn't improve with drug treatment
Complications of enlarged tonsils
Tonsils may become enlarged after frequent or persistent infections, or they may be naturally large. A tonsillectomy may be used to treat the following problems caused or complicated by enlarged tonsils:
- Difficulty breathing
- Disrupted breathing during sleep
- Difficulty swallowing
Other diseases of the tonsils
A tonsillectomy may also be used to treat other rare diseases or conditions of the tonsils, such as:
- Cancerous tissue in one or both tonsils
- Recurrent bleeding from blood vessels near the surface of the tonsils
- Fact sheet: Tonsils and adenoids. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/tonsilsAdenoids.cfm. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Wetmore R. Tonsils and adenoids. In: Kliegman R, et al., eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/193178650-2/0/1608/0.html. Accessed April 5, 2010.
- Tonsillopharyngitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch090/ch090i.html. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Tonsillar cellulitis and abscess. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual of Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec19/ch222/ch222b.html. Accessed April 5, 2010.
- Fact sheet: Tonsils and adenoids post-op. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/tonsilsAdenoidsPostop.cfm. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- How safe is anesthesia? What are the risks? American Society of Anesthesiologists. http://www.asahq.org/patientEducation/resource.htm. Accessed May 12, 2010.
- Fact sheet: Tonsillectomy procedures. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/tonsillectomyProcedures.cfm. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Orvidas LJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 19, 2010.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 13, 2010.
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