Adenotonsillectomy and Tonsillectomy

Indications for surgery:

• upper airway obstruction (sleep disordered breathing)

• recurrent tonsillitis

• drooling

• asymmetrical tonsil (one significantly larger than the other)

The tonsils (also known as the “palatine tonsils”) are 2 components of a ring of lymphoid tissue in the back of the mouth. The adenoids are a third component and lie at the back of the nose. There are other areas of lymphoid tissue at the back of the tongue called the “lingual tonsils.” These generally do not cause as significant airway obstruction as do the palatine tonsils, and adenoids, and it is not common to require any surgery of these.

Adenotonsillectomy is now most commonly conducted for sleep disordered breathing. The effects of this condition in both the short-term and long-term are increasingly recognised and raising concern (see sleep disordered breathing). Removing the adenoids and tonsils will allow the child to return to normal sleep in more than 80% of cases. It is possible for snoring to return a few years later. Studies examining this have found this can be due to adenoid regrowth, nasal symptoms such as allergic rhinitis (also know as hay-fever), or weight gain.

Previously, recurrent tonsillitis was the most common reason for removing tonsils. There is a well-recognised criteria for recommending a tonsillectomy in this case. If you child meets this criteria then it is worth discussing a tonsillectomy, and referral to an ENT surgeon, with your GP.

 Other indications for tonsillectomy include:

• recurrent peritonsillar abscesses (known as a “quinsy”)

• asymmetrical tonsils (where one is larger than the other)

• repeated hospitalisations for tonsillitis

• drooling

For more information regarding post-tonsillectomy care please click below