T&A

Medical abbreviation · Surgical

T&A stands for Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, a surgical abbreviation.

Removal of the palatine tonsils and the adenoids, performed mainly in children for obstructive sleep-disordered breathing and recurrent throat infections. It is among the most common pediatric operations in the United States.

Example: T&A for obstructive sleep apnea with 3+ tonsils; overnight observation given age 2.

Usage notes

Clinical practice guidelines from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery use the Paradise criteria for recurrent infection, such as seven documented episodes in one year. Bleeding can occur up to about two weeks after surgery, when scabs separate. Codeine is contraindicated after T&A in children because ultra-rapid metabolizers have died from respiratory depression.

Related abbreviations

More surgical abbreviations

• Post-op – Postoperative
• Pre-op – Preoperative
• PRK – Photorefractive keratectomy
• RCR – Rotator cuff repair
• SLNB – Sentinel lymph node biopsy
• STSG – Split-thickness skin graft
• TAPP – Transabdominal preperitoneal (hernia repair)
• TEP – Totally extraperitoneal (hernia repair)
• TME – Total mesorectal excision
• TRAM – Transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (flap)
• UPPP – Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
• VSG – Vertical sleeve gastrectomy

See all 51 surgical abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.