Frequent tonsillitis attacks, enlarged tonsils or nightly breathing problems each may be grounds for removing the tonsils. Tonsils are lymph tissues at the back of the throat that normally help filter out bacteria to prevent infection.

Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgeries performed on children. Done on an outpatient basis, recovery time traditionally takes 10 to 14 days.

A new procedure offered by otolaryngologist Jennifer Bock Hughes, M.D., has reduced recovery time by one-third for the people she treats.

The technology, made by Sunnyvale-based Starion Instruments, uses focused heat energy through a precise forceps to make and seal incisions in a way that minimizes damage to surrounding tissue that can be caused by heat spread using traditional methods.

"There are lots of different ways to take out tonsils," Dr. Bock Hughes says. "We’re the only group in Northern California that is offering the Starion technology."

The Starion forceps, which also can be used for thyroidectomy and salivary gland surgery, helps control bleeding and protects important nerves during surgery.

"I’ve just been delighted by it," Dr. Bock Hughes says. "The healing time is faster and people resume a regular diet more quickly. Even the nurses tell me immediately following the procedure that people require less pain medication and can drink fluids sooner."