Can the Tonsils Be Removed?

It is not recommended to remove the tonsils blindly. The tonsils are immune organs of the human body, mainly composed of lymphatic tissue, participating in the humoral and cellular immunity of the body. The tonsils can inhibit the adhesion, growth, and spread of bacteria and viruses in the respiratory tract, playing a defensive role. However, on the other hand, if the tonsils frequently become inflamed, they can become a chronic focus, leading to local or systemic complications. Therefore, whether to remove the tonsils should be carefully considered. If it is indeed necessary to remove the tonsils, the surgery should be scheduled after the child reaches 5 years of age.

1. If the tonsils become inflamed and cause acute glomerulonephritis, myocarditis, etc., tonsillectomy is recommended after the condition stabilizes.

2. If the tonsils are enlarged and inflamed to the point that it affects the child's breathing, causing snoring and unrestful sleep, and affecting the child's pronunciation, tonsillectomy can be considered.

3. If the tonsillitis causes severe peritonsillar abscess, tonsillectomy should be considered.

4. If the child experiences recurrent tonsillitis more than 5 times in a year, such frequent recurrences may lead to more serious consequences, such as glomerulonephritis and rheumatic fever. In this case, parents can choose to have tonsillectomy performed for their child.