Massively enlarged tonsils can cause episodes of cessation of
breathing known as obstructive sleep apnea. Cessation of breathing
can last 10 seconds or longer, causing extremely low levels of
oxygen in the blood.
Review Date: 09/15/2010
Reviewed By: Denis Hadjiliadis, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of
Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
