Dr. Mersch received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego, and prior to entering the University Of Southern California School Of Medicine, was a graduate student (attaining PhD candidate status) in Experimental Pathology at USC. He attended internship and residency at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Your doctor has recommended a tonsillectomy and/or
adenoidectomy for you, a loved one,
or your child. The following information is provided to help
individuals prepare
for surgery, and to help those involved understand
more
clearly the associated benefits, risks, and complications. Patients or
caregivers
are
encouraged to ask the doctor any questions they feel
necessary to
help better understand the above procedure.
The tonsils and adenoids are masses of immune cells commonly found in
lymph glands (lymphoid tissue). These tissues are located
in the
mouth and behind the nasal passages, respectively. Infected or
enlarged
tonsils may cause chronic or recurrent sore throat, bad breath,
dental
malocclusion, abscess, upper airway obstruction causing
difficulty with
swallowing, snoring, or sleep apnea. Infected adenoids may
become
enlarged, obstruct breathing, cause ear infections or other
problems.
Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are surgical procedures
performed to
remove the tonsils and adenoids.
These instructions are designed to help you, a loved one, or your child
recover from
surgery as easily as possible. Taking care of yourself the individual
having surgery can
prevent complications. The doctor will be happy to answer any
questions
that you or the person having surgery has regarding this material. If you
or your loved one, or child is having
ear tube
surgery (myringotomies and tympanostomy tubes placed)
in conjunction with his/her tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, please read
information on these procedures as well.
Most sore throats are caused by viruses or mechanical causes (such as mouth breathing) and can be treated successfully at home. However, a person should be seen by a health care professional if they have a sore throat that has a rapid onset, and is associated with a fever or tenderness of the front of the neck; a sore throat that causes the person to have difficulty swallowing (not just pain swallowing) or breathing; or if a sore throat lasts for more than a week.
Strep throat is a sore throat caused by a bacterium called streptococcus (strep) that can be treated through antibiotics. Common symptoms of strep throat include pinkeye, runny nose, skin rash, cough, hoarseness, diarrhea and more. Complications of untreated strep throat include middle ear infections, meningitis, pneumonia, rheumatic fever, and more.
Dehydration is the excessive loss of body water. There are a number of causes of dehydration including heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise, and some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The best way to treat dehydration is to prevent it from occurring.
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites). Symptoms of swollen lymph nodes vary greatly. They can sometimes be tender, painful or disfiguring. The treatment of swollen lymph nodes depends upon the cause.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C.). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal: rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease- producing organisms.
Sleep apnea is defined as a reduction or cessation of breathing during sleep. The three types of sleep apnea are central apnea, obstructive apnea (OSA), and a mixture of central and obstructive apnea. Central sleep apnea is caused by a failure of the brain to activate the muscles of breathing during sleep. OSA is caused by the collapse of the airway during sleep. OSA is diagnosed and evaluated through patient history, physical examination and polysomnography. There are many complications related to obstructive sleep apnea. Treatments are surgical and non-surgical.
It is thought that the tonsils and adenoids assist the body in fighting incoming bacteria and viruses by helping the body form antibodies. This is thought to be important only during the first year of life. Acute tonsillitis, strep throat, mononucleosis (mono), chronic tonsillitis, peritonsillar abscess, and hypertrophic tonsils and adenoids are all common problems involving the tonsils and adenoids. Treatment of tonsillitis and adenoids include antibiotics and other medications depending on the cause. In some cases, a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy (the removal of the tonsils or adenoids) may be necessary.
Nausea and vomiting are symptoms that may be caused by many conditions. Antiemetics are drugs that treat nausea and vomiting. Though some antiemetics for motion sickness and mild nausea are available over the counter (OTC), most require a medical evaluation and prescription.
Bad breath can result from poor oral hygien habits and may be a sign of other health problems. Bad breath, also called halitosis, can be made worse by the types of food you eat and other unhealthy lifestyle habits.
Oximetry is a procedure for measuring the concentration of oxygen in the blood. The test is used in the evaluation of various medical conditions that affect the function of the heart and lungs.
How is oximetry done?
This is done using an oximeter, a photoelectric device specially designed for this purpose. A reusable probe can be placed on the finger or a single use tape probe is placed on the earlobe or finger.
What are pulse oximeters?
The oximeters most commonly used today are called pulse oximeters because they respond only to pulsations, such as those in pulsating capillaries of the area tested.
How common are oximeters?
Oximeters are now a virtual fixture in intensive care units, pulmonary units and elsewhere in hospitals and health care facilities.
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