Why are they so reluctant to take tonsils out these days?

[smoggie]

Ds2 (3.8) is currently battling his 5th dose of tonsillitis this year - yet another trip to the docs for anti-biotics and yet another week off nursery.
His temp spikes up to 40/41 everytime and I have to dose him up with max calpol and brufen for about 5 days.
Surely the risks associated with anaesthetic are minimal compared with risks of such a high temp/decreased "quality of life" with so many episodes/taking so many painkillers for so long and so often.
Does anyone have any info on just why they are so reluctant to take them out these days?
What are the risks over and above the normal risks of an operation?
Poor wee thing really does suffer when he gets it. Loses weight, can't eat, can't sleep properly.
TIA

[Miyazaki]

What did your gp say when you asked them?

[Dior]

Message withdrawn

[ohIdoliketobebesidethe]

It can be a risky op because they can bleed a lot and you don't want a lot of blood where you're trying to breath.

Overall I think it's a cost saving thing.

They still take lots out though. You have to complain of sleep apnoea and then they'll do it for you.

[NorbertDentressangle]

My friends DS had his tonsils out recently (aged 3 due to sleep apnoea) and had a horrendous time of it.

He had to be re-admitted to hospital twice due to major bleeding -one of those times it was a very traumatic middle of the night emergency admission after he vomited blood everywhere.

It really traumatised him for a while and took months to get him back to sleeping /eating properly and being less clingy.

The thinking around it seems to have changed over the years and they do seem more reluctant to remove them. Also, post-op, they now recommend eating rough, scratchy foods like toast and crisps to aid the healing process whereas years ago it was ice-cream.

[leoleo]

My GP said that if they didn't have tonsils they infection would go to the chest.
Not sure if this is correct or not.
I wonder what causes tonsillitis?

[LittleBella]

I may be talking complete bollocks and I warn you I have no medical knowledge whatsoever, but I think it's something to do with the tonsils being part of he lymphatic system and somehow the body's anti body/ defence system. Not exactly sure how but they're important in fighting off infection so they don't like to take them out unless absolutely necessary.

As I say, that might be bollocks.

[lulabellarama]

I was told it is because the infection finds a new site. However my son had his out earlier this year and it's changed our lives. He was getting tonsillitis every 6 weeks and taking longer and longer courses of antibiotics. Then he had an allergic reaction to penicillin.

Since he's had them out (March) he's had one 24hr bug and that's it.

He's so much happier as a result.

[sunshineakindat]

My husband had them out 5 years ago and it caused no end of problems. There was a documentary about it on bbc a few years ago as the new procedures causes major bleeding. They use disposal instruments now that are not as reliable.
I don't mean to scare you but they showed the tragic case of a little boy , his parents sued and they have reviewed as a result.
You might be able to find some more reliable info from the web. It was a nightmare for him as an adult so I expect it would be 10 times worse for a kid but then again, the term manflu comes to mind!

[smoggie]

It's a tricky one isn't it - obviously from some of the posts here there appear to be more post-op complications that I'd appreciated, but I don't seem to remember when I was young hearing of anyone who had these and the number of ops done was much higher?
Intersting re: risk of infections going elsewhere if tonsils aren't there.
I jsut really worry about his temp skiking so much and taking so mcuh time off nursrey (and ultimately school if it continues)...however he has only just recovered from a nasty fractured femur so I don't want to inflict any unecessary trauma on the poor mite.

[smoggie]

Ahh so maybe the new isntruments causes the increased risk of post-op complications/bleeding these days.
I'll try to google it and get some more info. You've provided me with much food for thought.
I'll trawl the web tonight and report back!
Ds2 wants me to play now! Calpol has kicked in.

[snickersnack]

They are an important part of the body's immune defence system. So removing them isn't something to do lightly - they're more important than, say, the appendix.

But, I have to say, I used to suffer like the OP's ds (sounds just like me aged 4 and 5) and after having them out I was transformed from a child who was ill 2 weeks in 4 to a child who was rarely ill. As was my brother.

My ds has had a few bouts. My GP said they were much less willing to whip them out because it is a big operation, a general anaesthetic carries risks and they do perform a role in the body. Plus they shrink in size as children get older, so in general even the worst cases do improve naturally over time. BUT she said after 4+ bouts a year over a couple of years she would start to consider it as a possibility.

[kiddiz]

I have no evidence to support my belief but I can't help thinking there is a financial consideration too. I was told when ds2 had repeated bouts of tonsillitus as a toddler/young child that he would grow out of it and why put him through unneccessary operaion. Trouble is my ds didn't grow out of it and finally had his removed at 17 last July. It is a far riskier operation for an adult than a child with a much greater risk of haemorage (sp?)
When ds2 saw an ent surgeon aged about 6 his answer was if his tonsils bothered me then don't look at them. I did point out that they didn't bother me half as much as they bothered ds!!!And also it wasn't the look of them that bothered me it was the repeated infections and weeks off school that bothered me.
The irony is when he saw a different ent surgeon at 17 who agreed they needed to come out without any hesitation his parting comment was, "it's a real pity this wasn't done when he was younger , it would have been much easier to do it then"!!!!!!!