Adenoidectomy

Surgical removal of the adenoid for blocked nasal breathing, chronic infections or recurrent earaches.

Adenoidectomy is the surgical removal of the adenoid for reasons which include impaired breathing through the nose, chronic infections, or recurrent earaches. It is most often done on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia. It is less commonly performed in adults, in whom the adenoid is much smaller and less active than it is in children.

Often combined with tonsillectomy; recovery for the combination is an estimated 10 to 14 days, sometimes longer.

The procedure is often combined with tonsillectomy, and this combination is usually called an adenotonsillectomy or T&A. The recovery time for the combined procedure is an estimated 10 to 14 days, sometimes longer, mostly dependent on age. Post-operative pain is generally minimal and reduced by icy or cold foods. Adenoidectomy is not often performed under one year of age as adenoid function is part of the body immune system, but its contribution to this decreases progressively beyond this age. This record describes what the sources state and is not medical advice.

Widest agreement is for obstructive sleep apnea; other indications remain controversial.

The indications for adenoidectomy are still controversial. Widest agreement surrounds the removal of the adenoid for obstructive sleep apnea, usually combined with tonsillectomy, although a significant percentage of the study population (18%) did not respond. There is also support for adenoidectomy in recurrent otitis media in children previously treated with tympanostomy tubes. Its effectiveness in children with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, common cold, otitis media and moderate nasal obstruction has been questioned, with the outcome in some studies being no better than watchful waiting.