When should the adenoids be removed?
The adenoids lie at the back of the nose between the
openings of the eustachian tubes. If they are chronically infected or physically
very large, they may obstruct the nasal airway or the eustachian tubes. Adenoids
are removed to help breathing or to help prevent problems with the ears.
How do you decide which children need their adenoids removed?
When obstruction to breathing and eating is the problem, the decision is often
made on how disturbed the sleep pattern is, and on how your child's weight is
progressing. Children with poor quality sleep or significant nasal obstruction
affecting their home and school life would be candidates whilst those with
simple snoring or a mucky nose alone would not. In children with glue ear,
removing the adenoids at the time of grommmet insertion reduces the chance of
needing to re-insert grommets. Typically adenoidectomy would be considered if
grommets had been needed previously.
Can my child manage without his adenoids? The adenoid's importance in
the immune system (i.e. in fighting infection) fades soon after birth. Adenoids
that are constantly infected cause, rather than prevent infection.
What are the risks?
Bleeding This is very very rare as a suction diathermy technique is
used which vaporises the tissue and coagulates the adenoid bed.
Anesthesia Given a paediatric anesthetist, a paediatric surgeon and a
hospital equipped and used to dealing with children, the anaesthetic risks of a
fit child having an anaesthetic for routine ENT surgery are very small indeed. Details of surgery