What happens During Surgery?
The operation is performed under a general anaesthetic and usually takes about 30 minutes.
Your surgeon will remove the adenoids through your child’s mouth. Your surgeon will perform the tonsillectomy through your child’s mouth using one of the following techniques.
- Cold dissection technique – Your surgeon will use a steel instrument to peel or cut the tonsil away from the layer of muscle underneath it
- Diathermy technique – Your surgeon will use a special instrument that uses heat to stop the bleeding
- Coblation technique – Your surgeon will use an instrument that uses radio-frequency energy to dissolve the tonsil
For adults undergoing the surgery, the first 2 techniques are used.
The turbinectomy operation is performed through your nostrils and does not result in any facial scars or black eyes.
Reducing the size of the turbinates usually involves one of the following techniques.
- Diathermy – Passing an electric current through a needle placed either on the surface of the turbinate or inside the tissue.
- Trimming – Cutting away the lower or outer part of the turbinate. This may also involve removing some of the turbinate bone and rolling some of the remaining tissue over the raw area.
Your surgeon may place some packing in your nose to prevent bleeding.
How long will I stay in hospital?
The child or adult having the operation should be able to go home the same day or the day after.
What is my recovery time?
It is important that your child eats normal food that needs to be chewed and swallowed. This keeps the muscles at the back of the throat moving.
If an adult is having surgery, you will need to stay home from work and away from groups of people for 2 weeks.
If it’s your child having surgery, they will need to stay off school and away from groups of people for 2 weeks. This is to help prevent throat infections while your child’s throat is still healing.
Most individuals make a full recovery and return to normal activities.
