ABSTRACT
This is usually performed for recurrent tonsillitis with or without airway obstruction. Chronic airway obstruction may lead to sleep apnoea syndrome and occasionally enlarged tonsils may present with severe airway obstruction and stridor. The tonsils are removed either by dissection and vessel ligation or less commonly with a tonsil guillotine which crushes the tonsillar bed and cuts the tonsil off with a knife blade. For tonsillectomy, the operative site is exposed by extending the head and holding the mouth open with a Boyle-Davis gag, which is then supported by two short poles either side of the head. Adenoids are removed by passing a curette behind the soft palate, pressing it hard against the posterior pharyngeal wall, and pulling it downwards and outwards.
