Surgical removal of the tonsils is much less common today thanks to the present ability to rapidly and accurately diagnose strep infection, and thanks to the excellent antibiotics currently available. But occasionally, your doctor might suggest the possibility of the need for surgical removal of the tonsils (tonsillectomy) if an individual:
- is experiencing frequent episodes of tonsillitis (especially those caused by the strep bacteria),
- has tonsils that are so large, even when the individual is well, that they cause not just "snoring" but significant obstruction or blockage of the airway during sleep (sleep apnea), or
- develops an uncommon but serious deep-seated infection within and surrounding one or both of the tonsils, called a "peri-tonsillar abscess".
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