Tonsil Surgery in Children:

Tonsil reduction? Complete removal of the tonsils ?

Which children undergo tonsillectomy ?

The two main reasons for performing tonsil surgery in children are recurrent tonsil infections and enlargement of the tonsils, causing respiratory problems during sleep.

When the tonsils enlarge, what kind of breathing problems can it cause during sleep ?

Enlarged tonsils can narrow the airway, leading to snoring, sleeping with the mouth open, and in more severe cases, sleep apnea. The enlargement of the tonsils is usually accompanied by the enlargement of the adenoid. It is extremely important for the child's growth and development to be healthy during sleep. Studies have shown that sleep-related breathing disorders in children pave the way for problems such as bedwetting at night, anxiety disorder, hyperactivity, and depression.

Is there an age limit for tonsil surgery ?

There is no age restriction in tonsil surgery. In recent years, we can say that the reason for surgery is breathing problems during sleep rather than infection. My youngest patient for whom I personally had tonsillectomy was a one-and-a-half-year-old boy who suffered from sleep apnea.

What is tonsil reduction surgery ?

Tonsil reduction surgery is a type of surgery in which a part of the tonsil is removed, not the whole. Various devices such as cautery, radiofrequency and laser can be used for these surgeries.
My personal preference is to remove part of the tonsil with the Colorado instrument.

What are the advantages of tonsil reduction surgery ?

The main advantage of tonsil reduction surgery is that the postoperative pain is significantly less, the return to normal nutrition is faster, and the rate of bleeding, which is a complication that may occur after the surgery, is lower compared to patients who have completely removed the tonsils.

Are there any disadvantages of tonsil reduction surgery ?

When a part of the tonsil is removed, infections can occur in the remaining tonsil when the child grows up, and the tonsil can grow back and cause breathing problems during sleep. However, studies have shown that the infection and regrowth rates in question are extremely low.

As a result, which child is recommended to have the entire tonsil removed, and in which one tonsil reduction surgery is recommended?

If the child's problem is recurrent tonsil infections, the gold standard is the removal of the entire tonsil. However, if the child is going to have tonsil surgery due to breathing problems during sleep, it has been shown in recent scientific studies that tonsil reduction surgeries are as effective as removal of the entire tonsil, that the comfort of life after surgery is significantly better than that of children who have all the tonsils removed, and the possibility of complications is also lower.