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.
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites).
Strep throat is a sore throat caused by a bacterium called streptococcus (strep) that can be treated through antibiotics. Common symptoms of strep throat
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
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
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),
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
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
Nausea and vomiting are symptoms that may be caused by many conditions. Antiemetics are drugs that treat nausea and vomiting. Though some antiemetics for
