Tonsillectomy Research
The tonsils are located in the throat at the back of the mouth and adenoids behind the nasal cavity. The tonsils and adenoids are made of lymph nodes and help protect the area from infection. They are larger in children but gradually shrink throughout life. Removal of the tonsils is seldom necessary, and surgery should only be done if the tonsils have constant recurring infections. Also, in the last few years the tonsils and adenoids have been removed for sleep apnea.
The conventional treatment is a complete removal of the adenoids and tonsils which is a fairly safe procedure, but it leaves the throat unprotected from infection. It is a painful procedure that continues during the recovery period after the surgery and continues for a lengthy period in many instances. A new procedure used in recent years called PITA (Powered Introscapular Transillectomy and Adenoidectomy) has had success in relieving many of the problems of the traditional method, including less pain in recovery, quicker recovery time and fewer problems later. All options should be considered in consultations with your doctor.
