Tonsillectomy

The surgical removal of the tonsils, two oval-shaped tissue pads located in the back of the throat, one on each side, is known as a tonsillectomy (ton-sih-LEK-tuh-me).

Tonsillitis, an infection and inflammation of the tonsils, was previously often treated by a tonsillectomy. A tonsillectomy is now often done for sleep apnea, however it may still be used as a therapy if tonsillitis is persistent or unresponsive to other measures.