Submitted by Mississippi Valley Surgery Center
Dr. Douglas Dvorak, an ear, nose, and throat surgeon at ENT Professional Services, P.C. in Davenport, sees many adults at his practice who suffer from sore throats, sleep apnea, and bad breath. In many cases, an outpatient procedure called a tonsillectomy may greatly reduce or eliminate these conditions.
If you ask a group of adults what they fear, you’ll get a varied list. From spiders to heights and enclosed spaces, what worries us as we grow older is often the same as when we were kids. Sometimes our fears and worries grow as we age. For example, people who did not have their tonsils removed as a child are even more reluctant to undergo a tonsillectomy as an adult.
Dr. Douglas Dvorak, an ear, nose, and throat surgeon at ENT Professional Services, P.C. in Davenport, sees many adults at his practice who suffer from sore throats, sleep apnea, and bad breath. In many cases, a tonsillectomy may greatly reduce or eliminate these conditions.
“Tonsillectomies have very high success rates and work well for resolving many of the issues patients are struggling with, and that’s what’s really important to remember,” said Dr. Dvorak. “Adults don’t have to live with these ongoing symptoms. I see many people who didn’t even realize it’s possible to have a tonsillectomy as an adult, and when they do, they end up being really happy they did it.”
Tonsillectomy Technology Has Advanced
For a long time, tonsils were removed using heat, lasers, or sound waves that can cause bleeding and burns. Today, many surgeons use an advanced technology known as coblation to reduce the damage to surrounding tissues and speed up recovery.
“Surgeons and patients alike have searched for years for a better way to remove the tonsils. Because the tonsils are located in the throat, removing them with a high-heat electrosurgery device—as was done in the past—can sometimes lead to painful damage of nearby tissue,” said Dr. Dvorak. “The good news is that coblation technology offers an alternative by removing target tissue while minimizing damage to surrounding areas.”
Coblation uses radiofrequency energy and saline to remove tissue by dissolving the tonsils at the molecular level rather than rupturing or burning the cells. This allows doctors to precisely remove targeted tonsil tissue while preserving the nearby healthy tissue.
“Using coblation typically gets patients back on solid food one day faster,” said Dr. Dvorak. “The minimally invasive approach also results in less pain, an earlier return to daily activities, and fewer secondary infections in the tonsil bed.“
Outpatient Tonsillectomies Offer an Experience Patients Feel Good About
Dr. Dvorak performs his tonsillectomies at the Mississippi Surgery Center, located at 3400 Dexter Court in Davenport, Iowa. The Mississippi Valley Surgery Center is known for excellence in care and service. So far this year, 92 percent of patients said they would recommend the Surgery Center to family and friends, which is well above the national average for outpatient facilities. Importantly, 97 percent of patients appreciate the compassion and comfort the staff offer at the Surgery Center, which is also above the national average.
Dr. Dvorak agrees that expert care in the outpatient setting greatly aids in the surgical experience. “I find that most of my patients feel physically and emotionally more comfortable in an outpatient environment. The process is much more convenient and more personal than a hospital setting,” said Dr. Dvorak. “The Surgery Center offers a relaxed environment with medical staff focused on offering individualized patient care.”
The Recovery Time Is Worth It
As with any procedure, there is a recovery period for tonsillectomies. The most common post-surgery symptom for adults after a tonsillectomy is a sore throat. Pain in the neck, jaws, or ears may also occur for a short time. Because the surgery is outpatient, patients benefit from the comfort of recovering at home.
“Most of my adult patients who have had tonsillectomies are glad they did it. The surgery has a very high success rate,” Dr. Dvorak said.
To learn more about Dr. Dvorak and ENT Professional Services, P.C., visit www.entprofessional.com.
To learn more about the Mississippi Valley Surgery Center, go to www.mvhealth.net, and like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MississippiValleySurgeryCenter.