Jubilee Hospital, Trivandrum,Kerala, South India
Dr.K.O.Paulose FRCS, DLO. Consultant ENT Surgeon.
The removal of tonsils with the help of lasers is known as laser tonsillectomy. Unlike traditional tonsillectomies, laser tonsillectomy is a method which employs high-powered laser beams that are passed through the tonsil area where the laser beam vaporizes tonsil tissue to alleviate many symptoms related to tonsils. The time required to perform this operation is around half an hour.
This procedure is used to treat recurrent or chronic tonsillar infection, chronic sore throat, airway obstruction or halitosis (bad smell in the mouth).
Lasers used in tonsillectomy include CO2, KTP and contact diode lasers. Lasers both dissect tissue and coagulate blood vessels. Lasers can be used to either completely resect (laser tonsillectomy), reduce (laser assisted serial tonsillectomy) or vaporize (laser vaporization tonsillectomy) tonsillar tissues.
I use Co2 Laser here in this Hospital.
Advantages
The laser tonsillectomy procedure can be done within half an hour and in some cases the patient is able to go back to regular activities right from the next day of operation. In laser tonsillectomy, little to none bleeding and transmission of diseases occurs since there is lack of bleeding and lack of physical contact of instruments against the tonsils. Recovery is very quick. This procedure is suited well for individuals who have clearly visible tonsils when they open their mouth. Many individuals who suffer from tonsil stones and large massive tonsils can be easily cured with the help of laser tonsillectomy.
Drawbacks
There are some drawbacks of laser tonsillectomy too. One main drawback is that, if the tonsil is massive, then multiple visit of laser is required for complete curing for that tonsil. This depends on the method conducted. If cryptolysis is done then multiple visits might be required. If a full laser tonsillectomy is performed then there are typically no needs for follow-up procedures.
Procedure
Laser tonsillectomy can be performed with the help of local and general anesthetics. If patients prefer to have local anesthetics then they will be awake during laser tonsillectomy operation and they can feel that the surgeons are doing to them. Whereas, the patient will be asleep and unaware of what is happening to him during general anesthetic laser tonsillectomy operation. The results of both the forms of operation are the same and they recovery time after both the operation are also same.
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When the surgery is done under local anesthetic, the patient will be awake throughout the procedure. The Patient will go home after half an hour or so waiting in the Post OP recovery ward.
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