MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia:Tonsillectomy

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Tonsillectomy - series: Procedure

Tonsillectomy - seriesIllustrations:

Normal anatomy

Indications

Procedure

Aftercare

Under general anesthesia, the ear-nose-throat (ENT) surgeon holds the mouth open and pulls the tongue forward to reveal the tonsils. The tonsils are pulled away from the back of the throat and then removed by being cut away. Bleeding is controlled, and often the cut heals naturally without stitches.

Update Date: 10/20/2006

Updated by: Alden J. Pearl, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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