Tonsil and adenoid removal in Turkey

A tonsillectomy removes the tonsils, and an adenoidectomy removes the adenoids behind the nose. They are often done together in children, most commonly for obstructed breathing during sleep rather than for sore throats.

The part that matters most if you are travelling for this operation is the bleeding risk. Serious bleeding after a tonsillectomy typically happens about a week after surgery, once you would normally have flown home. Plan the trip around that, not around the operating date.

Technically it is the same procedure. The recovery is not, and this is the single most underestimated fact about tonsillectomy. Children usually recover faster and with less pain. Adults commonly have a harder time: more pain, more days off, and pain that peaks in the middle of the second week rather than settling steadily.

• Adult pain gets worse before it gets better. The throat is a raw wound that cannot be rested. Many adults report the worst days around the end of the first week.
• Referred ear pain is normal. The ear and throat share a nerve supply. Ear pain during recovery is usually the throat, not an ear infection.
• Eating is the treatment. Swallowing normal food keeps the area clean and helps healing. Avoiding food because it hurts tends to make recovery longer.
• Adenoids alone are different. Adenoidectomy on its own is a much easier recovery than a tonsillectomy, and the two are often confused when people compare experiences.

1. 1

   Assessment

   History of the episodes or of the sleep symptoms, examination of the throat and nose, and for suspected sleep apnoea sometimes a sleep study before anything is agreed.
2. 2

   General anaesthetic

   Both operations are done under general anaesthetic, through the mouth. There is no external cut and no visible scar.
3. 3

   Removal

   The tonsils are dissected out of their bed, or reduced with a heated instrument or coblation depending on the technique. Adenoids are removed through the mouth behind the palate.
4. 4

   Recovery and observation

   Several hours of observation at minimum. Many surgeons keep adults overnight, and that is a reasonable request rather than an upsell.
5. 5

   Discharge with a plan

   You should leave with pain relief, clear instructions on eating and drinking, and written guidance on what bleeding looks like and what to do.

• Tonsils, adenoids, or both. Doing both together is usual in children and costs less than two separate operations.
• Adult or child. Adult cases often involve a longer stay and more observation.
• The technique. Coblation and other instruments are priced differently from conventional dissection.
• Length of stay. This is the item worth paying for. A longer stay covering the higher-risk bleeding period is a safety measure, not an extra.

The clinic list on this page shows the current price for each hospital with a label saying what it covers. On staged payment, see the payment plans page. Related nasal and throat procedures are covered on the septoplasty page.

• NHS, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy patient information.
• ENT UK, position statements on tonsillectomy indications.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, guidance on sore throat and tonsillectomy.
• Turkish Ministry of Health, health tourism authorisation for hospitals.