OMAHA, Neb. -- If your child snores, the problem could be his or her tonsils, and doctors say removing them may be the best option. Many parents don't want to subject their child to the pain, but a new procedure may make tonsillectomies more bearable.

Dr. Ann Edmonds, of Alegent Health, is an Omaha ear, nose and throat surgeon who offers the new procedure.

"We've been taking tonsils out since the first century -- probably with a fork and knife back then -- you're lucky you weren't living then, 'cause it wasn't so good," Edmonds said.

Over the years, the technique improved to what is now an effective, but painful, technique called electrocautery.

"It would vaporize the tissue, and worked great, but it penetrated normal tissue too much," Edmonds said.

The new method is called coblation. An electrical current is passed through saline particles to create a cold plasma field that dissolves, rather than burns away, tissue. With less pain, most patients are out of the hospital in four hours.

"I've had a guy eating mac and cheese two hours later, talking to me," Edmonds said.

Coblation is growing in popularity. Edmonds has performed 300 procedures so far.