Tonsillectomy News and Research

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A tonsillectomy is a procedure whreby the tonsils are removed from either side of the throat. The procedure is performed in response to cases of repeated occurrence of acute tonsillitis or adenoiditis, obstructive sleep apnea, nasal airway obstruction, snoring, or peritonsillar abscess.

Intracapsular tonsil removal associated with reduced postoperative pain, bleeding

Patients who have a tonsillectomy using an “intracapsular” technique - which removes at least 90 percent of tonsil tissue, but spares the tonsil capsule - appear to have less postoperative heavy bleeding and pain compared with those who undergo traditional tonsil removal surgery, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery

18 Sep 2007

7-step guide to understanding tonsils and strep

Fifteen-year-old Kaci Jawegg's family knew the signs and symptoms all too well: It would start with itchy ears, followed by a sore and scratchy throat.

6 Aug 2007

Taste loss after tonsillectomy unusual

In a small study of patients undergoing tonsillectomy, or removal of the tonsils, none reported an ongoing dysfunction in their sense of taste following the procedure, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Otolaryngology?Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

17 Jul 2007

Pros and cons of tonsillectomy

Adults with recurrent sore throats may benefit from having a tonsillectomy in the short term, but the overall longer term benefit is still unclear, and any benefits have to be balanced against the side effects of the operation, according to this week's BMJ.

4 May 2007

Link between children's sleep-related breathing problems and daytime behavior problems

Hyperactivity, attention deficit, sleepiness, and ADHD often improved - whether or not sleep studies showed sleep apnea before surgery.

4 Apr 2006

No intervention is necessary for most children with fluid in their ears

A Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh study finds that prompt insertion of tympanostomy tubes (small ear tubes) does not improve developmental outcomes of children at 6 years of age as once thought.

24 Aug 2005

Harmonic scalpel could reduce operative time and blood loss in patients

A harmonic scalpel that uses ultrasound to coagulate as it cuts can reduce blood loss and postoperative facial paralysis in patients who need a portion of their salivary gland removed, surgeons say.

27 Jun 2005

Tonsil swabbing is terrible - it makes people gag

Mayo Clinic ear, nose and throat surgeons hoped to find a more user-friendly test for strep throat than swabbing the tonsils directly, but instead discovered that the swab has to touch the tonsils to accurately detect the infection.

15 May 2005

Robotic surgery dramatically reduces physical trauma for head & neck cancer patients

For patients with cancer of the mouth and throat, surgery is a frequent course of treatment, often leading to speech and swallowing dysfunction and external scarring.

15 May 2005

NSAIDs okay for tonsillectomy, new study finds

When children have their tonsils removed, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used for pain relief with no significant increase in bleeding and with less nausea and vomiting, according to a systematic review of current evidence.

19 Apr 2005

Solving sleep problems helps epileptic children

Sleeping woes may explain why children with epilepsy are often so hyperactive, say researchers with the University of Florida's Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute.

30 Mar 2005

Quality of life improves for children who receive treatment for obstructive sleep apnea

Behavioral and emotional difficulties are found in children with obstructive sleep apnea, but they improve after treatment, according to a study in the January issue of Archives of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery.

17 Jan 2005

Large-scale screening programme of tonsil tissue is the only way of identifying the true incidence of vCJD infection

A study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET describes how two different types of analysis used in conjunction on samples of tonsil tissue is the ‘gold standard’ method for confirming clinical variant CJD

30 Sep 2004

Strep A is showing up in increased numbers of head and neck abscesses

Head and neck abscesses are infrequent complications of upper respiratory infections, but they can occur suddenly and be rapidly progressive. If untreated, the abscesses can lead to airway obstruction, vision loss, intracranial infections, and even death.

17 Sep 2004

Study compares coblation tonsillectomy to traditional method of removing tonsils

Tonsillectomy remains one of the most common childhood surgeries with an increasing number of the surgeries being done to treat obstructive sleep apnea or sleep disordered breathing.

17 Sep 2004

Excessive use of diathermy could lead to increased haemorrhage rates

The postoperative haemorrhage rate in tonsillectomies which use ‘hot techniques’ such as diathermy and coblation to stop bleeding could be over three times greater than operations which use cold steel techniques, conclude authors of a study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET.

23 Aug 2004

Having your tonsils removed gets more complicated if you have a bleeding disorder

Adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy (adenotonsillectomy) remain two of the most commonly performed surgeries in the United States. For the most part, these procedures are safe and effective; however, risk of post-operative bleeding remains a concern.

29 Apr 2004