Sore Throat: CO2 Laser Surgery
Surgical removal of the tonsils, or what is known as tonsillectomy, is rarely needed for adults. During childhood, surgery may be recommended if:
- A child has seven or more episodes of tonsillitis in one year
- A child has five or more episodes of tonsillitis a year for two years
- Swollen tonsils that interfere with a child's breathing or swallowing
- Development of an abscess in the tonsils
Improved surgical procedures, such as CO2 laser surgery can speed healing and improve surgical results. Ask your doctor today about CO2 Laser Surgery.
CO2 Laser surgery
More and more people are finding that tonsil surgery performed with the CO2 laser surgical options speed healing time and reduce complications. CO2 Laser surgery, pioneered by Lumenis, is an alternative to cold steel surgery (surgery using a scalpel) and in some cases can be performed with minimal anesthesia.
Laser Tonsil Ablation (LTA)
The surgical procedure, called Laser Tonsil Ablation (LTA), uses a CO2 laser to surgically remove, reduce or vaporize the tonsils. Your ENT physician uses the laser to remove the tonsils to provide relief from recurrent tonsillitis, chronic sore throats, severe halitosis, or airway obstruction caused by the enlarged tonsils.
The laser procedure generally takes15 to 20 minutes and can be performed in an office setting. The patient leaves the office with minimal discomfort and returns to school or work the next day. It has been found that laser surgery provides significantly less pain, faster recovery and less sleep disturbance as well as a reduction in the need for medication. Post-tonsillectomy bleeding may occur in only two to five percent of patients.
Ask your doctor today how a CO2 laser assisted tonsillectomy can improve your surgical results.
'The Doctors' TV show features the laser tonsillectomy
