Poll: Have you had your Tonsils or Appendix Removed?

[bandit957]

But yeah, I've never heard of anyone taking them out, just because.

They took mine out but didn't really say why they needed to come out. Maybe they wanted to mail them to someone.

[Pete from Boston]

I've never had anything removed. A dentist told me when I was 18 that I should probably have my wisdom teeth removed but I refused. Ain't nobody performing surgery on me unless there's a life-threatening problem to fix.

Mine were crooked and I was told the same thing.  I waited, they straightened.

[Pete from Boston]

Another reason I have heard cited is that decay is more common in wisdom teeth because the geography of the mouth makes them hard to keep clean.  They're likelier than most teeth to be a problem later, and as noted, are superfluous.  My dentist was very clear with me at that age that dental visits tend to drop off in adulthood, and the end of high school could be a last good chance to nip problems in the bud.

[bugo]

I had my gall bladder removed. It was removed using laparoscopes and I had 4 or 5 tiny incisions near the middle of my chest and on my lower torso. All of the scars have healed to the point to where they are virtually invisible. If I feel around enough, I can find the main incision near the bottom of my sternum.

[SteveG1988]

I was born without wisdom teeth, as in i will never have them come in.

[riiga]

I had my tonsils removed at the age of 4.

[US81]

I never had my tonsils removed, but have had my appendix removed. It happened when I went to the doctor for some abdominal discomfort I'd been having for a few days. The took abdominal x-rays to check my gall bladder and saw that it was full of stones. So I was put into surgery that same day to have my gall bladder removed. In the process of removing my gall bladder, the doctors noticed that my appendix was also inflamed, so it came out too. Two birds with one stone, so to speak. The surgery was done with laprascopes, and the only scar I have is a small one just above my belly button, even though they made about 5 small incisions. I would have gone home the same day, but since I had both things out at once, they kept me overnight as a precaution. That is quite a change from when my dad has his appendix burst and had to have emergency surgery in the mid-1980's. He was in the hospital for two weeks, mainly due to the risk of infection, and ended up with a scar from the bottom of his rib cage all the way down to his waist.

If your appendix had actually ruptured, your course would have been expected to be about the same today as your dad's was back then. You were able to have laparoscopic surgery because your organs were intact prior to surgery.  Maybe the incision would not be as big, but when the appendix ruptures, the bacteria and fecal matter from inside the intestines spreads through the abdominal cavity - normally a sterile area - and the peritonitis that results can be life-threatening. So they literally wash out all the abdominal membranes that overlie the organs to remove as much source of infection as can be done.

Glad to hear that both you and your dad did well.