Q. What are tonsils?
A. The tonsils are aggregates of lymph tissue located on both sides of the back of the throat.

Q. What do tonsils do?
A. Many doctors believe that tonsils fight infection during early childhood.

Q. What is tonsillitis?
A. Tonsillitis is the term used for infection or inflammation of the tonsils.

Q. What causes tonsillitis?
A. Tonsillitis can be caused by viral or bacterial infection.

Q. What are the symptoms of tonsillitis?
A. The symptoms include sore throat, and occasionally obstructed airway that makes it difficult to breathe and swallow.

Q. How is tonsillitis treated?
A. Tonsillitis is usually treated using antibiotics. In recurrent cases, or when antibiotics are no longer effective, your doctor may recommend a tonsillectomy.

Q: What is a tonsillectomy?
A. A tonsillectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the tonsils. As a treatment for recurrent tonsillitis, a tonsillectomy is performed when medicine and other non-surgical treatments are not effective. Tonsillectomies are also performed when the tonsils become so enlarged that they interfere with breathing. Breathing disorders due to enlarged tonsils can lead to obstructive sleep disorders such as sleep apnea.

Q. How is a tonsillectomy done?
A. There are a variety of tonsillectomy techniques as well as a choice of instruments that can be used. The specific instrument and technique are to be decided upon with your surgeon. <

Q. Are tonsillectomies performed in the hospital?
A. Tonsillectomies are usually performed in an operating room under general anesthesia. Most are performed on an outpatient basis and do not require an overnight stay, but are usually performed in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center.

Q. What are the risks of tonsillectomy?
A. All surgeries have risks. The major risk of tonsillectomy is bleeding at the site of the surgery, though this can occur for uap to two weeks after surgery. Dehydration can also be a risk if the pain from the tonsillectomy interferes with swallowing and the intake of fluid. General anesthesia also poses a risk but in an otherwise healthy individual the risk of a substantial is rare.

Q. Does snoring mean my child needs a tonsillectomy?
A. If your child is snoring, you should see a doctor. The snoring could be due to a number of causes, including enlarged tonsils. In some of these cases, a tonsillectomy may be neccessary to eliminate the problem.

Q. How long does it take to recover from a tonsillectomy?
A. It depends on the individual and the tonsillectomy method used. Most patients recover in a week to ten days.