Can tonsils grow back after removal

My son who is now 12 years old had his tonsils removed when he was 6 years old because of tonsillitis. However, he recently developed very painful sore throat and fever which made the attending doctor to diagnose another tonsillitis. My question is whether the tonsils can grow back again.

Queen (by E Mail)

The tonsils are two oval-shaped pads at the rear of the throat. Tonsillectomy is a procedure to surgically remove the tonsils. Surgeons may perform this procedure to address breathing difficulties during sleep or to treat repeated infections such as strep throat. Infections of the tonsils can cause inflammation known as tonsillitis.

Some children who undergo a tonsillectomy may need another surgery in several years if their tonsils grow back. This is rare but possible, depending on the procedure. Tonsils can grow back after a partial tonsillectomy, which is also known as a tonsillotomy or intracapsular tonsillectomy. While doctors can choose to carry out a complete tonsillectomy, removing the tonsils entirely is more painful and might have higher risk. A partial tonsillectomy may be as clinically effective without causing as much discomfort.

Therefore, it is possible for tonsils to grow back after a tonsillectomy if a surgeon has not fully removed them. In a small study, researchers found that regrowth occurred an average of 30.2 months after surgery, mostly in children younger than 5 years old. All individuals who experienced regrowth had acute inflammation of the tonsils before they grew back. People may not notice that their tonsils have grown back unless they look in the back of their mouth or experience symptoms.

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