Coablator Assisted Tonsillectomy

Tonsils and adenoids are lymph tissues near the throat that filter out germs entering through the nose and throat. When they become infected or enlarged they may obstruct breathing and make sleeping difficult for children. When these problems arise, a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy or the removal of the tonsils and adenoids may be necessary. One of the most common ways to perform tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies use heat to cut and cauterize the tissue. The heat causes some injury to surrounding tissue, and can result in a long, painful recovery period. But a new procedure available at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital called coblation reduces recovery time and pain. Coblation, which stands for controlled ablation, involves radiofrequency at a low temperature and uses a saline solution to gently and precisely remove the tissues. As a result, the risk of injury to surrounding tissue is much lower.