Death rate of tonsillectomy in adults

This story originally ran Sept. 16, 2019, and was updated Jan. 17, 2024.

Tonsillectomy—a surgery to remove tonsils—is one of the most common childhood surgeries.

Currently, about 300,000 to 500,000 tonsillectomies are performed each year for children younger than 15 in the United States.

We talked to Christine DeMason, MD, an ear, nose and throat physician at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, about what the tonsils do and why they sometimes need to be removed.

What Tonsils Do

There are a few types of tonsils in the throat, but when people refer to “the tonsils,” they typically mean the palatine tonsils, which are two oval-shaped masses at the back of the throat, one on each side.

Tonsils vary in size from person to person.

Tonsils trap bacteria and viruses that you breathe in, helping prevent throat and lung infections. However, they aren’t your body’s main defense against infection.

“While they do provide a little bit of immune function, kids typically are not sick more often if their tonsils are removed,” Dr.

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when is tonsil surgery necessary

when is an emergency tonsillectomy necessary