ENT :: Laser Tonsillectomy - My Experience
Jul 23, 2014
I would like to share my experience with the laser tonsil reduction procedure.
I am 32 years old with small tonsils with crypts. I have been suffering from constant sore throat, BB, tonsil stones, fever since the past three years.
I discarded the traditional tonsillectomy option as I have heard that its very painful in adults with increased risk of postoperative bleeding and the recovery takes 2 weeks to sometimes a month. Instead I opted for laser aided tonsil reduction.
My ENT gave me a prompt appointment and I had the procedure done yesterday. After the anaesthetic spray to the back of my throat that somewhat stinged, the ENT fired around 3 rounds of laser to each of my tonsils.Even though the anaesthetic had numbed my throat, there was a burning pain when the laser went deeper.
The whole procedure was completed in 15 minutes and the ENT informed me that he has reduced both my tonsils as much as possible. The tonsillar area looked black and charred. I had slight difficulty swallowing but it was not that bad as expected.
I returned home in the evening and gargled with difflam mouthwash and took one painkiller around 7 pm when the pain built up. Still a 2 out of a scale of 10.
Day 1 (today): Woke up this morning, feeling much better. My throat has started sloughing and I can see white coating where it was lasered. Pain 2 out of 10. Gargled again but didn't need to take a painkiller.
I have a funny taste in the back of the mouth and the gargle is not helping.
Off to have some lentil soup and veggies for lunch. I have 6 days of sick leave from work to recover, so drinking lots of liquids and mashed food & soup to get well soon.
Note: I have read that partial tonsil reduction may not solve the problems completely. But I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that I am not one of the rare cases who has to go for a complete tonsillectomy after all this. I have a follow up appointment with the ENT a month later. wish me good luck.
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I just got diagnosed this year with a Cholesteatoma, after a heavy mid ear inflammation in June, following a severe cold. Before that I had no problems with my ear.
My hearing was virtually lost during the inflammation but recovered pretty well, I guess only a 30 % has gone in my right ear. I live in Spain, in the mountains, and have no problems while I am here.
But I just visited the Peruvian Jungle, and it happened two times that after 3-4 days in the Jungle, my ear starts draining liquids and my eardrum perforates. After being treated two times with antibiotics in Peru, and moving to an area where the air is much dryer, the inflammation goes away within a week.
Now, last Friday I talked with my ENT specialist, and he has put me on a waiting list to have it surgically removed. According to him, it is a 'removal' operation, with a high chance of losing my right side hearing completely, as he 'thinks' the ossicles are infected.
When I asked him if a KTP laser is being used, the answer I got was that they don't use KTP laser in these kind of interventions in Spain.
Since I do not want to lose my hearing capacity in the right ear completely, I understood from reading about Cholesteatomas and treatments that a KTP laser assisted intervention has a high chance of preserving the ossicles, and thus hearing capacity.
There is an ENT specialist who has published about this, Dr. Fairley.
Does anybody has experience with him ?
Has anybody had this type of surgery with a KTP Laser ? How were the results ? I am very interesting in your story, As I am considering paying for the intervention myself in another country.
Prices are fluctuating a lot for this procedure, so if anyone knows a good ENT specialist (Cholesteatoma & KTP Laser) I would appreciate your opinion and experiences.
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Has anyone had laser teeth whitening done. I am not talking about the gum shield things, I am talking about a gel and light system being done in a beauty salon. It appeals to me due to it not being done in the dentist ( which I hate) and the price is about half what the dentist will charge. I spoke to someone and they said the result after 45 minutes was fantastic and the 24 hours later was even better.
So just checking if anyone has any experience of laser teeth whitening.
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Well, I got home this afternoon (Thurs) after the op Tues @ 7 p.m. And things seem to be working OK. No more Tamsulosin needed, so that's one benefit right there. I'll update after a few days as the the other possible effects.
The anesthetist chose a spinal anesthetic, which I was somewhat chary of, preferring to be totally knocked out. Later I remembered that there'd been some research that found that older people who had anesthetics died earlier, so he was right on that score. He also told me that this way I had a smaller number of anesthetics (general meant 14!, this way 1 to 3).
I didn't like the thought of being awake and watching the op, but he assured me I wouldn't feel a thing; I wouldn't see anything; and I'd be able to feed and drink more or less straight afterward rather than many hours later. And so it came to pass. Just numb legs for a while. I really didn't feel anything. All over in about an hour. I even dozed a bit on the op table.
However, that night (Tues) was not good. I had a constant feeling of wanting to sh*t. However, no matter how hard I tried (and I used two laxative suppositories), virtually nothing happened. I later found out this is a side effect of the somewhat larger catheter and balloon that was put in place.
So I found it hard to sleep. But just when I did doze off once, the nurse came in for the fourth time to take my blood pressure (2.00 am?). I was really upset and told her not to do any more (all the previous ones had been OK anyway). But by then I couldn't get back to sleep. So I was wretched all the next day (yesterday).
However, last night I got to sleep about 8:30 pm; and slept right through to breakfast. Bliss.
The surgeon had come in on Weds; told me about the defecation urge origin; said I could go home today if my urine was pretty clear by then and the catheter had come out. I see him again in a couple of weeks, when the result of the biopsy will be with him. He also said only 10% need the op again in 10 years; most are fixed for good. Here's hoping.
I was apprehensive about the removal of the catheter. In the end though, it wasn't too bad. I did most of it myself, easing it and rotating it a bit when it seemed to stick. Whew! Great. Then I pee'd a couple of times to test things; told I was OK to go. I left.
Home by 3 pm today. Then did a good walk (4 miles) and all's well. Still some blood and bits, but most clear. Good flow. Now to see how I am at night.
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I'm on the start of day 5 now after my tonsillectomy and in the worst pain imaginable, I was aware the procedure would be painful but nothing like this did I ever imagine, the mornings we the worst, waking from my sleep with no pain resistance at 4am is horrible.
I would really like someone to help me make a plan so I can manage my pain relief better so I don't need to be in so much agony,il list below the medicine I have and the daily dosage told to take:
Paracetamol 500mg take 2 upto 4 times a day
diclofenac/volterol 50mg take 1 upto 3 times a day
codeine 30mg take 1 or 2 upto 4 times a day ....
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QUOTE FROM ARTICLE:
Although the idea of a clinic-based YAG laser operation is alluring for its perceived simplicity, we have the following concerns.
1. The energy delivered into the eye is not acceptable. The energy delivered to the eye in YAG vitreolysis compared with standard YAG capsulotomy is much greater. Van der Windt and colleagues state the typical required power is 2.5 mJ to 4.5 mJ, and they do not recommend exceeding 500 pulses per treatment session. They recognize multiple treatment sessions may be necessary. It is our opinion this level of energy being delivered into the eye is too great, putting the patient at unnecessarily high risk for postoperative inflammation, glaucoma and retinal tear/detachment.
2. The efficacy of YAG vitreolysis is also in question. Delaney and colleagues found that 38% of patients treated with YAG vitreolysis had a moderate reduction in symptoms while 62% had no improvement.
The alternative treatment for YAG vitreolysis, and what we recommend at Mercy in carefully selected cases, is small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy. This procedure yields much higher efficacy. In the same Delaney study, they reported 93.3% of eyes undergoing vitrectomy for floaters resulted in full resolution. By utilizing modern surgical equipment, now readily available in as small as 27 gauge and cut rates as high as 7,500 cuts/minute, very little energy is directed into the vitreous, and very little traction on the vitreous is exerted. Vitrectomy has the advantage that if a retinal tear develops intraoperatively, it should be easily identified and treated at the end of the case.
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I am 39 and recently underwent cataract surgery and had Restor Lenses placed. I also had the LRI done at surgery time to correct astigmatism (in both eyes). Well the LRI corrected the astigmatism in my left eye but not my right. My vision isn't as sharp in my right eye also. I was having a lot of glare in my right eye so I had the YAG laser procedure due to a secondary cataract in that eye. I have noticed I have a lot of Starbursts in that eye now. It's really frustrating and I am nervous because in 2 weeks I am having LASIK done in my right eye to correct the "off vision" and fix the astigmatism. I am scared that these starbursts will never go away/ or get worse.? It makes Concerts or night driving bothersome. It's almost like a different version of my cataract. I paid $4,800 for both eyes... and have been thrilled with results of left eye...just not with my right?
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I had IPL laser hair removal at a local salon. The technician gave me 5 sessions (each which included a free retouch session meaning a total of 10) with an interval of two weeks. Obviously i hadn't done my research well and it didn't work. I am going to the leading laser hair removal in my country now..my concern is ...is that too much laser exposure to my area and my ovaries? Would this cause infertility or anything of that matter? It's not about the laser itself but to the amount of exposure that i am being exposed to.
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Laser liposuction and traditional method of liposuction are both ways to obtain same results, but which method is more effective?let's find out.
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My 1st laser treatment was unsuccessful so i went to see an oral surgeon who specializes in laser ablation on soft oral tissues This time the procedure was much more invasive and treated like an actual surgery. The doctor removed the top 3 layers of epithelial tissue off the side of my tongue where the OLP was I he went much deeper than my 1st doc). I had the procedure friday and am still in considerable pain and discomfort. I am unable to speak and chew so i have been pretty much drinking my meals through a straw. Thankfully i have a supportive girlfriend who has been cooking and pureeing all the food for me I went to the doc today for a post-op exam and he said it was healing properly. I have been taking vitamin C, D, zinc, glutamine and lysine for immune support and to help heal the tissue. Right now my tongue looks like a mess but i am hoping it heals up and the OLP is a thing of the past. Unfortunately i had to cancel my weekend travel plans and missed my good friends wedding in the process, so i've been a bit stressed and sad.
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have any ladies had the CO2 fractional laser for LS? The reason I ask is that my dermatologist has finally given me the name of the laser they have suggested for my treatment as I'm struggling with the steroids/HPV warts cycle. They have suggested having the CO2 fractional laser followed a couple of hours later by PRP treatment. The dermatologist said they see the best results with ladies who have this combination on the same day.
over this last week my left labia minor has disappeared 😟 Completely and I have struggled to keep the itch at bay. Although the white patches have diminished. in the last week I had to use the Betnovate but after a day the itch/pain was so bad and not subsiding, that I used the dermovate, this I think was the only thing that helped with the itch eventually. But as I struggle to use these creams I have to be very careful as they induce warts.
Hence the doctor has suggested I undertake the CO2 laser and PRP combination next week.
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the first oral surgeon i went to recommended it and i am now thinking this may be a good idea. I believe its similar to a scraping where it stimulates new cell generation and heals the damaged tissue.
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I've been suffering from HS for the last few years, I think it started in 2010/11, I am male in mid thirties. I have had various flare ups over the years both small and large in only the groin area. There have been times where it has disappeared for months but then reappeared at existing or new places.
I have three areas which have scared and still feel like a bump is under the skin, sometimes they weep, they have been there for some time. In one area the discharge absolutely stinks (to me), which is strange as all the other areas seem to be odourless.
Over the last couple of days I have had a couple of big new flare ups which have got me searching on google about HS again and in turn typing on this forum now for the first time. Before that I have been pretty comfortable for at least 4 or 5 months with nothing major going on.
I have been to the doctor and dermatologist various times. Have also visited a surgeon when the doctor gave me the option of surgery, however the surgeon advised me not to go under the knife if they weren’t effecting me that badly as it would put me out of work for six months (not good for self-employed) as well as having the risk of them coming back 10 times worse.
I have been reading up about laser surgery, particularly an article titled “Treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa with intense pulsed light: a prospective study” where they test it on 18 people and seem to have positive results. My question, is there anywhere available in the UK for this?
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Basically in april 2015 i went to consultant for pile treatment, he advised me to have them treated by injection, i went ahead with this procedure, for a week i was fine then i noticed the itching and pile/pain had returned went back to my consultant he told me he thinks it was a fissure and to take creams and come back to him in 3 weeks time for further consultation.
alas 2 weeks later i was in severe pain and discomfort and phoned the consultants office that i was in bad pain and was told the consultant was on holidays and would not be back for a further week!
at this stage i was told by my doctor to attend hospital a+e for emergency
treatment ,this i did and was told to present myself at the hospital fasting from night before to see a new consultant---Phew it gets worse!
arrived at the hospital new consultant in fairness said he would put me under a full GA and see what is going on there
the following morning he told me yes indeed the piles were back there was one internal and one external and that i was better off going for the laser treatment called THD, which i booked in for the following week this was at this stage mid may had the procedure and for 2 weeks felt great
however on the third week i was in severe pain in the anal area and knew something was wrong (bearing in mind i was told the THD procedure has a 90%success rate..presented myself back to the consultant in hospital had to go under a full ga again he told me afterwards that the procedure had not worked for me for fu..s sake i was one of the 10% that it did not work for so i was booked in for the following week to have the piles which i was now told one of them was thrombosed removed by surgery so have had this done in mid june and have been in terrible pain since, especially after bm to the point where all i could do is sit/lie in the house all day taking pain killers stool softeners and baths every day. every time i phoned the consultant i was told it takes time to heal so after 7 weeks of severe pain id had enough, i went to my doctor got a letter of him to see the consultant urgently as i was in severe pain meet with the consultant am now booked in again for early next week this is what he said the wound is healing however it is a time thing, he will have a further look at me to see if there is something else causing this awful pain he said there is no fissure but wants to give me a botox injection in the anal area to help with the healing, can anyone please advise with this as i do not want to get any worse pain than i am in presently sorry for the long rant but this is actually what happened to me it has changed my life whereby in the last 6 months being in terrible pain and discomfort and am now wary about this botox injection
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My wife had stone in her kidney. About 15mm. She was operated by laser machine (Laser Session to break stone) 3 times in General Hospital and her some stone was released while some is still in her kidney about 5mm to 6mm. Now the problem is that she is pregnant and can't bear another laser session and I think its harmful for baby too (Its 4th month of pregnancy), she is bearing kidney pain after every 1 or 2 days. Is there a medicine or solution that her stone be released or at least her pain is finished?
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Has anyone tried laser hair removal?
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I need to have facial hair removal but have been told that having hemochromatosis, I may be a further risk towards possible skin damage, which could result in skin hypo/hyper-pigmentation.
My Haematologist told me that skin discolouration could occur from having hemochromatosis, which I was aware about (and this is only if your iron levels aren't controlled) but I don't know if by simply having hemochromatosis, destroying the follicles that produce hair, by laser, could result in unsightly skin damage that wouldn't otherwise happen if I didn't have hemochromatosis?
I've asked the hemochromatosis society and Christianos centre (laser clinic) but none of them have come back with any information based on people who have had laser hair removal, more a vague hypothesis on the matter at this stage involving detailed information I'm continuingly absorbing but being lead astray with as it's not an area I'm experienced with enough to gain a constructive enough opinion (biology). I'm transgender so need to have this done soon as poss.
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i don't know if i should see n osteopath or chiropractor or physiotherapist.
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I had laser surgery to the vulva 10 days ago it is still very painful and I feel really fed up and unwell dr not gave me any after care advice or what to expect apart from keeping area clean. I was surprised to find I am very bruised in my groin and also my pubic area has now become very painful on the left side is this normal?
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