ENT - Tonsillectomy

What are tonsils?

Tonsils are a collection of lymphoid tissue, found at the back of your mouth, either side of the throat.

What is a tonsillectomy?

A Tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure where the tonsils are removed from the throat. The procedure is done under a general anaesthetic so the patient is asleep. The patient is then expected to stay in hospital for at least 6 hours afterwards until they are well enough to go home.

A tonsillectomy is usually suggested when someone keeps getting tonsil infections (tonsillitis) or gets more than one abscess of the tonsil (quinsy). When a tonsillectomy is suggested, a patient is given the choice to either have the surgery or continue as they are. When making the decision it is very important to consider the risks of the surgery.

What are the risks/complications of a tonsillectomy?

Pain

Everyone who has a tonsillectomy will experience severe throat pain after the operation. The pain usually lasts about 2 to 3 weeks and does often get worse before it gets better (usually 5 days after the operation). You must take regular pain relief for at least 2 weeks which will be provided when you are discharged from hospital. If you run out of pain relief or you find that it isn’t working well enough, your GP can prescribe you more or different medications.

It is also important to carry on eating and drinking normally. This will be difficult at first but the more you do it, the easier it will get. It will keep your throat moving and stop the throat from stiffening up and getting dry. Chewing gum will also help with this and will cover up any unpleasant tastes that you may experience in the first few days after the operation.

Bleeding

It is possible that you may experience bleeding from your throat after a tonsillectomy. This can happen anytime within about 2 weeks after the operation but is most common straight after surgery and about 1 week after the surgery. The best way to avoid bleeding when you are at home is to eat and drink well as this will help the throat to heal and prevent any infections. If you have any bleeding from your throat after the operation you must attend your local emergency department.

Infection

Infection is a common risk with any operation. The best way to avoid an infection after a tonsillectomy is by eating and drinking a normal diet. This will help to clean the back of the throat where the tonsils have been removed and it will help to keep your immune system up to fight off bacteria. It is also a good idea to avoid crowded areas where people might be ill and cause you to become ill. We advise that you take 10-14 days off work/ study to avoid becoming ill and to have time to rest and recover. If you do get an infection, you should attend your local emergency department where you will be assessed by a doctor. If the infection is very bad, you may have to stay in hospital for a night or two to have strong antibiotics and fluids.

What should I expect after the surgery?

As well as throat pain, you may experience pain in your ears. This is nothing to worry about and is just because the ears and throat are closely linked. You might also notice that the back of your throat turns white/grey after the operation. This is normal and your throat will gradually go back to it’s normal colour after a few weeks.

Contact details

If you have any questions or problems, please contact:

Rachel Parks
ENT Specialist Nurse
rachel.parks@nca.nhs.uk

Ear, Nose, and Throat Dept. 0161 206 4758