She adds , though , that if future studies bear out a link between tonsils and hiv transmission , there could be implications for blocking the spread of the virus from mother to child in parts of the world where infant formula and antiretroviral drugs are in short supply .
Moutsopoulos stresses that the tonsils which were removed routinely up until the late twentieth century are now seen as a first line of defence in the immune system , alerting the body to potentially dangerous foreign particles .
These include the pillar procedure , which involves using permanent stitches to firm up the soft palate ; coblation , which uses radiofrequency to shrink nasal tissues ; and even use of a carbon dioxide laser to shrink the tonsils .