Adult Tonsillectomy Surgery: Patients Guide on What to Expect

Painful bouts of acute or chronic tonsillitis or re-occurring strep throat are the main causes that a surgeon may decide to have a patient undergo a tonsillectomy. A tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure where the tonsils are removed and most of the time the adenoids are removed as well.

Adult tonsillectomy's verses children's tonsillectomies are extremely painful. Children generally require an over-night stay at the hospital and they have a 3-7 day healing period where they need to eat soft foods, drinks, and Popsicles. Adults however have a much longer healing window ranging from 4-6 weeks, granting that there are no complications during the healing process.

An Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist will examine your tonsils in their office. This is a relatively painless procedure. Some doctors will insert a tube into the patients nose which acts as a numbing agent for the throat. If a tonsillectomy is required the doctor will explain why they think a tonsillectomy is needed and what to expect before, during, and after the procedure.

The patient will then schedule their same day surgery and discuss the financial preparations for the surgery. Never schedule a surgery on a Friday or before a holiday because of the fact that your doctor may be out of town or unavailable to you if there is an complications or concerns.

The surgery itself will cost between nine-hundred-dollars to two-thousand-dollars. Co-pays are usually due before the surgery is even scheduled and range from a $250.00 to $900.00 out of pocket cost to the patient. Prescription costs range between $400.00 to $900.00 for antibiotics, narcotic analgesics(painkillers), acid controlling tablets, and refills of these medicines.