Tonsillectomy

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are surgeries to remove the tonsils or adenoids. The adenoids are above the tonsils and behind the nose. Your doctor will do the surgery through your mouth. You will be asleep. Most people go home that same day.

These surgeries are:

• Used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children.
• Rarely used to treat snoring in adults.
• Not used to treat snoring in children.

A tonsillectomy may be done when:

• A person has tonsillitis that does not get better or that comes back often.
• A person has strep throat that keeps coming back, even with antibiotic treatment.
• Abscesses of the tonsils do not get better after treatment. Or the person has an abscess along with other signs that point to a tonsillectomy.
• A foul odor or taste in the mouth caused by tonsillitis that does not get better with antibiotics.
• A biopsy is needed to check for a suspected tumor of the tonsil.
• The tonsils are so large that they affect nighttime breathing. This is called sleep apnea.

Large tonsils are not a reason to have a tonsillectomy unless they are causing problems.

Children who have their tonsils removed for repeated throat infections may have fewer infections for a few years after surgery. But over time, many children who do not have surgery also have fewer throat infections.

Adults who have their tonsils removed after repeated throat infections don't get as many new infections as adults who don't have the surgery.