Browsing by Subject "Laser"

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    Tonsillotomy (Partial) & Complete Tonsillectomy - Surgical Technique
    (University of Cape Town, 2025-05-02) Stelter, Klaus; Lehnerdt, Goetz; Fagan, Johan
    Acute tonsillitis is treated with steroids e.g. dexamethasone, NSAIDs e.g. ibuprofen and betalactam antibiotics e.g. penicillin or cefuroxime. Only 10 days of antibiotic therapy has proven to be effective to prevent rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis. Tonsillectomy is only done for recurrent acute bacterial tonsillitis, or for noninfectious reasons such as suspected neoplasia. Partial tonsillectomy (tonsillotomy) is the 1st line treatment for snoring due to tonsillar hyperplasia. It is low-risk, and postoperative pain and risk of haemorrhage are much less than with tonsillectomy. It is immaterial whether the tonsillotomy is done with laser, radiofrequency, shaver, coblation, bipolar scissors or monopolar electrocautery, as long as the crypts remain open and some tonsil tissue remains.