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In the case when all medical indications indicate the inevitable removal of the tonsils, you need to choose one effective, but at the same time the safest way to destroy inflamed tissue, which will help you get rid of problems forever and at the same time avoid possible subsequent troubles. That is why the most common recommendation of doctors is the so-called cryodestruction of the tonsils.
What is this method
Cryotherapy refers to a virtually painless and bloodless method of eliminating tonsils. Firstly, it allows you to stop the foci of inflammation; secondly, it helps to completely eliminate the habitat favorable for bacteria, which gives rise to the process of inflammation. In other words, not only the culprits that affect the tissue are annulled, but also their consequences.
How do low temperatures work? Very strong cold has a detrimental effect on many pathogenic pests. Freezing also assists in tissue regeneration, as the affected areas die off and the restoration of other formations is automatically turned on.
An important factor is the preservation of healthy tissues, as they produce immune cells and support local immunity in the human body.
Advantages and disadvantages of the procedure
Among the advantages of cryodestruction, there is a low level of trauma and bloodlessness, the complete elimination of all foci of inflammation and the cessation of any pathological processes, the preservation of healthy lymphoid tissues and the protective purpose of the tonsils. In addition, as a result of cryodestruction, the immunological function of the tonsils is preserved, and the scars disappear with the subsequent standard supply of the tonsils.
Of course, cryotherapy has a number of disadvantages. A high-quality procedure using good equipment is quite expensive, in addition, due to cold exposure, a factor in the occurrence of throat diseases is possible. In addition, in this area, unfortunately, there is a very low number of professional doctors. It is difficult enough to control the depth of freezing, so a second session is possible due to the remaining untreated areas of the lymphoid system.
During the first week after surgery, necrotic tissues are shed, which causes discomfort in the ears or throat, and also causes an unpleasant odor from the oral cavity. Before the procedure, the tonsils are treated with local anesthesia, so it is especially difficult for children to survive this operation.
Indications and contraindications cryodestruction
Cryotherapy has quite a few contraindications, but there are still cases when this procedure should be avoided:
- pregnancy;
- exacerbation of chronic ailments;
- serious diseases from the nervous system;
- severe cardiovascular diseases;
- diabetes;
- cold allergy;
- poor blood clotting;
- immunodeficiency in children.
Unconditional indications for cryodestruction is chronic tonsillitis – this disease is dangerous because the tonsils from the protective barrier are converted into a focus of infection, and this already leads to a wide variety of diseases of the respiratory organs and the whole organism as a whole. The reason to seek help will be permanent tonsillitis, which provoke severe complications, which as a result can develop into chronic tonsillitis. In addition, if violations of the work in the heart area and intoxication of the body after tonsillitis are noticed, this is a sure sign that it is time for you to cryodestruction of the tonsils.
Preparing for the procedure
To achieve maximum efficiency and safety, it is necessary to carry out sanitation of the oral cavity, i.e., all existing diseases must be eliminated in order to avoid tissue infection. In fact, after cryodestruction, the tonsils are very vulnerable and can experience many attacks from bacteria and viruses, which is not recommended.
Before sanitation, the procedure for preparing the oral cavity is as follows:
- patients take tests to check for the presence of various viruses and pathogens, undergo a general examination and find out if there is a predisposition to allergies;
- treat all detected diseases – stomatitis, caries, etc., this reduces the risk of infection;
- it is undesirable to carry out cryofreezing before and during menstruation in women;
- four hours before cryotherapy, it is forbidden to eat food and liquid;
- it is not allowed to strain the throat both before and after cryogenic freezing, for example, to talk long or loudly, also to sing, etc.
Procedure for the procedure
The procedure itself is carried out in several stages. First, the patient is seated in a chair for the convenience of the procedure. The patient is given local anesthesia to avoid pain. Usually, the top of the tonsils is treated with a solution of lidocaine (in the form of a spray).
This solution is applied topically, it has an analgesic effect. After a few minutes, the sensitivity of the tissues becomes much lower, which helps to bypass the appearance of a sensation of pain.
Next, the doctor takes a special device – a cryodestructor. The device is inserted into the patient’s mouth so that the working surface is in contact with the tissues of the tonsils. You can apply the device to the tissues for no longer than 1 minute. With severe tissue damage, this procedure is repeated several times. The tonsils are frozen with liquid nitrogen, while the depth of tissue cryopreservation reaches about 3-4 mm. The amount of time for cryotreatment of a patient is different, it all depends on the degree of the disease.
What is cryodestruction
Cryodestruction is, in essence, the therapy of the palatine tonsils with cold, that is, the freezing of the inflamed areas of the oropharynx. Special signs of cryodestruction:
- cauterization of inflamed areas of the larynx;
- therapy for the immunological appointment of the tonsils;
- activation of microcirculation and innervation processes of tissues;
- excitation of the process of self-cleaning of the tonsils by increasing the drainage efficiency, destroying cicatricial modifications of the mucous membrane, tightening the modified lacunae.
Freezing is done by applying liquid nitrogen to the lymphoid tissue, which, in fact, can be described as cold cauterization. This method of treatment began to be used in medicine relatively recently, but it managed to become very famous, so it is used quite often in our time.
Rehabilitation period
Despite the fact that cryofreezing is not a very traumatic procedure, the postoperative period can still drag on for one or even two weeks. When the patient recovers from anesthesia, it hurts to swallow – this can last for seven days, but every day the pain is felt less and less.
An unpleasant moment is also the presence of swelling – it takes place up to four days after the operation. In addition, a day later, the diseased tissue is rejected – a white coating appears on the tonsils, which causes bad breath, but will soon peel off. In no case should these dead pieces be removed on their own, because the natural process of regeneration of the newly formed tissue is disrupted. The young tissue has a very delicate structure, therefore, by any thoughtless actions, the patient is able to harm his health, while bleeding and re-infection may open.
Full recovery can take up to three weeks, after which it is necessary to inspect the area to assess the actual condition and performance of the tonsils. And if the remaining foci of inflammation are found, they may recommend a second operation.
Throughout the rehabilitation period, the patient must adhere to a strict diet, consuming only cool liquid food, while excluding coarse, spicy, salty and pickled foods. It is also necessary to regularly rinse with antiseptic preparations, which will reduce the risk of re-infection of tissues.
A pleasant fact is the absence of hospitalization, so the patient can leave the clinic immediately after cryotherapy. Complications after cryodestruction can occur most often due to the lack of medical professionalism or if the patient does not follow the basic safety rules after treatment. In this case, there is a risk of infection, sepsis or bleeding.
Cryosurgery of tonsils in children
I would especially like to note how the process of cryotherapy in children goes. Chronic tonsillitis begins to form in childhood due to frequent sore throats, so this method of treatment is used from the age of three to twelve years inclusive, only this procedure is even more gentle and is called “cryoirrigation”.
This is a very effective therapy, it has no contraindications and is very painless. Both the tonsils and the entire pharynx of a small patient are treated with liquid nitrogen vapor.
Cryo-irrigation of tonsillitis in children occurs from two to four months and includes three to four procedures. Of course, the attending physician has the right to prescribe auxiliary procedures that allow you to maintain the effect of tonsillitis treatment and have a positive effect on the child’s immunity.
The duration of the examination and the treatment process takes up to 30 minutes.
Cryodestruction now costs around 4000-7000 thousand rubles. The cost is based on the professional suitability of the doctor, the level of the medical institution, devices and materials, as well as on the conditions for cryofreezing.