Issues in Emerging Health Technologies Hot Techniques for Tonsillectomy

Standard or extracapsular tonsillectomy, which is typically performed under general anesthesia, involves surgically removing the palatine tonsil and capsule, and then sealing bleeding vessels (hemostasis) with ligatures (ties), sutures, or heat (diathermy). In Canada, tonsillectomy is usually performed as day surgery. The most common side effects are pain and bleeding (hemorrhage), but patients may also experience difficulty swallowing, nausea, vomiting, throat and ear pain, weight loss, dehydration, fever, and airway obstruction.