Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy

Frequent throat infections or difficulty breathing during the night can affect you and your child's entire quality of life.

Preparing for Surgery

Although hundreds of thousands of tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies are performed without major surgical complications every year, our doctors will take extra precautions and perform testing to ensure that you or your child is a good candidate for surgery. We will also provide detailed pre-operative instructions, which may include:

• Refraining from taking any drugs that might counteract with surgery or medication
• Not taking anticoagulants such as aspirin, which can aggravate bleeding
• Not eating or drinking for several hours before surgery to prevent anesthesia complications

These extensive pre-operative rests and instructions help us lay the groundwork for a safe, successful procedure.

The Surgery

To ensure patient comfort, T&A surgery is performed under general anesthesia. This means that you will be fully asleep and have no recollection of the procedure. In most cases, the surgery is completed in under an hour. The tonsils, adenoids, or both will be removed through the mouth, so there are no visible scars left from the surgery. T&A surgery is an outpatient procedure, so most patients can usually go home on the same day.

Recovering Form T&A Surgery

Most patients are fully healed within one to two weeks of surgery. During this time, monitor for signs of complications, such as:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Bad breath

If you observe any of these symptoms, contact our practice immediately. During your recovery, it is also important to stay hydrated, eat soft foods for a few days, and avoid rough exercise or play that could bring about heavy bleeding.

Finding Long-term Relief

A T&A surgery can reduce the risk of recurring infections, open your airway during sleep, and drastically improve your overall quality of life. Depending on your unique symptoms, you may only need one area addressed. The only way to determine whether you can benefit from a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, or both is to schedule a consultation with our highly trained doctors today. Contact us online or call our Owings Mills office at (410) 356-2626.