ArthroCare ENT USThe day before the surgery, you will probably be introduced to the healthcare team. Most likely the team will include surgery nurses, who provide care before, during, and after surgery; the ENT specialist who will perform the surgery; and an anesthesiologist who will plan and administer the anesthetic.
Just before surgery the patient is anesthetized in the operating room. Children are usually given a general anesthetic. Adults may be given a local anesthetic. During surgery the patient is continually monitored.
After the anesthetic takes effect, the doctor will begin the surgery. The patient’s tongue is held out of the way by a tongue retractor, and the surgeon removes the tonsils using a specially designed instrument. If the adenoids need to be removed, they will also be removed at this time. The surgeon removes the tonsils and adenoids through the mouth. No external cuts are made on the skin.
Coblation® tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are quick procedures that take less than 30 minutes. They are performed in an operating room in either a hospital or a walk-in surgery center under general anesthesia. Most patients stay in the facility only a few hours after the procedure is completed.
Possible Risks
All tonsillectomy procedures have the same general risks. Ask your doctor about the possible risks and complications that may happen in a procedure where you have to undergo general anesthesia.