Low-grade fever in chronic tonsillitis

Tonsillectomy is an operation that has been used for about 3,000 years. It is indicated for: chronic tonsillitis, adenoiditis, airway obstruction. Before surgery, the patient is prepared (biological material is taken for testing and examined). There are 2 methods of pain relief: local anesthesia and general anesthesia. This is followed by recovery after removal of the tonsils. During this period, you must follow all the rules. The timing of final recovery depends on this.

The first hours after tonsillectomy

After trimming the tonsils, doctors prescribe rehabilitation. The patient remains under round-the-clock supervision of specialists for another 2-3 days, as bleeding may occur. Therefore, the patient constantly lies down for the first time after the procedure. Drugs are prescribed for good blood coagulation. It is forbidden to talk and eat. You can drink iced tea in small sips. Young patients are offered thin porridge and jelly. To reduce pain to a minimum, painkillers are administered.

The postoperative period of tonsil removal is fraught with some difficulties. The patient is immediately placed on his right side with his mouth slightly open. Place a clean cloth (to drain saliva). Blood and saliva should not enter the respiratory tract. This can cause pulmonary diseases. Every 2 hours, apply an ice compress to the neck for 2-3 minutes.

Recovery after tonsillectomy – rehabilitation. Nutrition after tonsillectomy: diet

In the first hours after surgery, while blood is bleeding from the wounds, the patient is recommended to lie on his side. When the bleeding stops, you can turn over and stand up. If there are no complications, you can return to normal life immediately after discharge from the hospital.

Sometimes therapy is needed after surgery:

antibiotics (if an infectious complication has occurred) antipyretics (if the temperature has risen above 38-38.5 degrees) painkillers (especially in children, if the sore throat is very intense)

A diet is recommended for all days of the postoperative period.

It is not recommended to eat at all on the first day. In the first 6 days, food should be liquid, homogeneous, and at room temperature. For 21 days you should not eat anything that is too hot, too cold, spicy, sour, or anything that can irritate the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat. You need to drink the daily norm: 1.5 liters for children, 2-3 liters for adults.

In the first week after removal of the tonsils, it is recommended to eat liquid homogeneous food.

How long does your throat hurt after tonsil removal?

The cessation of anesthesia is accompanied by increased pain. On days 2-4, discomfort intensifies due to fibrin deposits that appear after surgery. It is formed from fibrinogen (a soluble protein). Helps restore blood flow. To reduce pain, an antiseptic injection is given.

After about 3-6 days, a new layer of cells forms, protecting the mucosa. As soon as epithelium forms on the wounds, the pain begins to subside. The patient recovers on average in 23-25 days.

The recovery period after contraction of the tonsils in children and adults takes place at different times, since in young patients everything heals faster.

Methods for removing tonsils

There are several surgical ways to get rid of tonsils. More modern is to remove them using a laser. But in some cases, they resort to traditional surgery, which is performed under general anesthesia. There are also other methods to remove tonsils. Let us consider all possible types of surgery in adults and children in more detail.

Classic . It involves the complete removal of the tonsils; the operation is performed under general anesthesia using surgical scissors and a loop. During this procedure, the tonsils are completely removed. Bleeding that occurs during surgery is stopped using electrocoagulation. This radical approach completely eliminates the possibility of developing sore throats in the future. But it’s worth mentioning the disadvantages of completely removing tonsils. The absence of lymphoid formations in the form of palatine tonsils deprives the body of serious protection against the invasion of infection from the outside. This may cause inflammation to spread lower down the respiratory tract and lead to the development of laryngitis, tracheitis and bronchitis. Also among the possible consequences in both children and adults, it is worth noting the increased risk of allergic diseases of the respiratory system.
Partial removal . It is carried out by exposing the tonsils to ultra-high or ultra-low temperatures. In the first case, liquid nitrogen is used, under the influence of which the tonsils are frozen. In the second, the tonsils are exposed to a laser (carbon or infrared). These methods should be considered in more detail.
Cryodestruction. Under the influence of liquid nitrogen, lymphoid tissue freezes, which then dies. Negative temperatures block pain receptors, so in this case general anesthesia is not required, and local anesthesia is often used. But this method also has disadvantages. Firstly, this method is not radical and after it it is often necessary to perform repeated operations. Secondly, the postoperative period is difficult and painful. You can also note the need to maintain careful hygiene during this period.
Laser tonsillectomy. The laser method does not require general anesthesia; only local anesthesia is sufficient. Under the influence of the laser, blood vessels are blocked, so there is no severe bleeding, which can be noted as an advantage of this method. Removal of tonsils with a laser can vary depending on the type used. It is possible to use an infrared laser; if a fairly large part of the tonsil needs to be removed, then a fiber-optic laser is used. Carbon and holmium lasers are also used. In the first case, there is a sharp reduction in the volume of lymphoid tissue, while the second allows the capsule to be preserved. Most often, laser tonsil removal is used when a partial tonsillectomy is necessary. It can be used in both adults and children.
Ultrasonic scalpel. Under the influence of ultrasound, the lymphoid tissue is heated to 80 degrees, which makes it possible to perform the operation like a scalpel. In this way, complete removal of the tonsils can be performed. But this method also has disadvantages - in particular, there is a risk of burns to the mucous membrane.

What can you eat after tonsil removal?

For the first 6-7 hours there is no need to eat. Then you can eat the food in liquid form (broth, jelly, cream). From the second day, diets (“zero” or “surgical”) are prescribed. They have a gentle diet. It is necessary to select easily digestible foods. Allowed: broth, porridge (mashed through a sieve), fish puree, jelly, cream and jelly. From the third day you can introduce: puree soup, pureed cottage cheese, baked apples, porridge with milk.

During rehabilitation after tonsil removal, you must adhere to some general rules regarding nutrition:

Food and drink should be cold.
Eat more protein foods.
Avoid salt and spices when cooking.
Take meals in small portions throughout the day.
Drink plenty of water and not hot.
Avoid citrus fruits.
Peel fruits and vegetables.
Eliminate alcohol and sweets.

Nutritional rules should be followed until recovery.

Possible complications and consequences of the operation

In general, complications rarely occur with the correct approach to surgery:

development of bleeding - occurs on the first day after the manipulation, usually associated with the presence of remnants of the tonsils;
infection in the wound with the development of an abscess;
injury to the mouth of the auditory tube;
entry of adenoid epithelium into the respiratory tract.

If blood loss occurs, a pharyngoscopy is performed, blood clots are removed and all questionable areas are re-examined.

Local-regional complications

Sometimes local complications occur in the postoperative period:

bleeding of the tonsils;
hyperplasia of the posterior pharyngeal wall and lingual tonsil;
pharyngitis;
hypersalvation;
abscess of the lateral wall of the pharynx;
acetonemia;
difficulty swallowing;
agranulocytosis.

Generalized complications

These are complications that affect the body as a whole.

These include:

septicemia (occurs 5-6 hours after removal of the tonsils);
lung abscess;
secondary pleurisy;
bronchopneumonia.

Therapeutic procedures after surgery

3-4 days after surgery to remove adenoids and tonsils, the patient is discharged home. However, the treatment does not stop there. There are regulations and detailed instructions that must be strictly followed:

Follow a diet.
Reduce the load on the ligaments (do not talk loudly).
Reduce physical activity.
Take medications prescribed by your doctor.
Gargle more often.

These procedures will help speed up your recovery.

Drug treatment after tonsillectomy surgery

The next stage of post-operative recovery after tonsil trimming in children and adults is taking medications. This is necessary to reduce the risk of complications. A set of medications is prescribed:

Antibacterial drugs are substances that prevent the growth of living cells. The average duration of treatment is a week. Do not use for longer than the prescribed period.
Antiseptics – prevent inflammation of wound surfaces.
Painkillers – help reduce or eliminate the activity of pain receptors.
Immunomodulators – help strengthen the immune system.
Coagulants – stop bleeding.
Hemostatics – promote the rapid formation of blood clots.
Vitamins – accelerate tissue regeneration processes.

For each patient, the doctor individually selects treatment. Hemostatics and coagulants are prohibited for those whose body is prone to thrombosis. Long-term use of cephalosporin antibiotics can cause hemorrhage.

Gargling

They begin to gargle after a while. There are special herbal infusions for this. Solutions for sanitation of the oral cavity must be selected or made water-based. They should be cold. Each herb has its own effect:

Chamomile – prevents inflammatory processes. Pour 3 tablespoons of chamomile flowers with a glass of boiling water and wrap. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Strain and cool to the desired temperature.
Calendula - acts as a disinfectant and antiseptic. Pour 1 tablespoon of calendula flowers with 250 milliliters of water. Leave for 2 hours. Strain and cool. It cannot be stored for a long time. The finished infusion quickly loses its properties.
Sage – destroys germs and relieves swelling of the tonsils. Mix dried sage leaves and flowers. Pour 2 tablespoons of the mixture into 300 milliliters of hot boiled water. Wrap and leave for 30 minutes. Strain and cool.
Eucalyptus – relieves pain and prevents the proliferation of pathogenic microflora. Pour a glass of boiling water over a spoonful of dried eucalyptus leaves. Leave for 40 minutes. Strain and cool.
Oak bark – accelerates the process of blood clotting. Protects against local irritation. 20 grams of dry raw materials are poured with a glass of boiling water. Bring to a boil over low heat and immediately turn off the burner. Wrap and leave for 30 minutes. Cool and strain.

Sanitation is also allowed: a weak soda solution, chlorhexidine and propolis. In rare cases, a weak saline solution is recommended. Repeat rinsing as often as possible.

Not everyone is suitable for oropharyngeal sanitation. Sage thins the blood. Its use may cause bleeding. Before starting this procedure, consultation with a specialist is necessary.

Thus, elimination of lymphoid tissue is prescribed to adults less frequently than to children. The rehabilitation process is basically the same, but with different time frames. To speed up recovery, you must comply with all the doctor’s requirements.

What may be the consequences of tonsil removal in adults and children?

Despite the fact that surgery to remove tonsils in adults and children is successful in most cases, sometimes undesirable consequences can occur. The cause of such complications after surgical treatment may be associated with a medical error, a restructuring of the immune system, or an individual reaction of the body.

During the operation, not only the tonsils or adenoids can be removed, but the proliferation of lymphoid tissue along with the tonsils can also be removed. After such an operation, various side effects or negative consequences may occur. Partial removal of the tonsils by laser cauterization or freezing with liquid nitrogen sometimes causes a fever or sore throat.

Complete removal of tonsils and adenoids using laser technology occurs with virtually no side effects. A standard surgical procedure may cause postoperative bleeding, which may appear within the first day after radical treatment or even after one week.

Consequences of the operation

Adenoids

Consequences in children

After removal of adenoids, ice cream will help relieve discomfort

Removing tonsils in children can cause complications in the form of severe sore throat, which makes eating much more difficult. Fruit or vegetable purees, warm broth or soup will help reduce increased sensitivity to pain.

After surgery on the tonsils, negative consequences may occur, such as increased body temperature, a change in voice, or vomiting blood.

Sometimes bleeding may begin, so the child should remain in the hospital during the postoperative period under the supervision of medical personnel.

Final recovery occurs one week after the operation.

Complications of the operation

After removal of the tonsils, some consequences of the surgery may be noted. Possible complications can be observed both immediately after surgery and be long-term.

Among the complications that occur immediately after surgery are bleeding, tissue burns, and infection.

Of the long-term consequences, the most common may be a decrease in local immunity, frequent respiratory tract infections (laryngitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis), and the development of allergic bronchospasms. Long-term complications do not depend on how the surgery was performed (classical method or laser), as well as on the anesthesia used (under general or local anesthesia).

As you can see, surgery to remove tonsils can vary. But in order to take such a step, there must be clear indications that only an otolaryngologist can identify after a thorough examination.

Marina Nagornaya, especially for lordok.ru