Learn About Adenoidectomy

What is the definition of Adenoidectomy?

Adenoid removal is surgery to take out the adenoid glands. The adenoid glands sit behind your nose above the roof of your mouth in the nasopharynx. Air passes over these glands when you take a breath.

The adenoids are often taken out at the same time as the tonsils (tonsillectomy).

Adenoid removal is also called adenoidectomy. The procedure is most often done in children.

What are the alternative names for Adenoidectomy?

Adenoidectomy; Removal of adenoid glands

What happens during a Adenoidectomy?

Your child will be given general anesthesia before surgery. This means your child will be asleep and unable to feel pain.

During surgery:

  • The surgeon places a small tool into your child's mouth to keep it open.
  • The surgeon removes the adenoid glands using a spoon-shaped tool (curette). Or, another tool that helps cut away soft tissue is used.
  • Some surgeons use electricity to heat the tissue, remove it, and stop bleeding. This is called electrocautery. Another method uses radiofrequency (RF) energy to do the same thing. This is called coblation. A cutting tool called a microdebrider can also be used to remove the adenoid tissue.
  • Absorbent material called packing material may also be used to control bleeding.

Your child will stay in the recovery room after surgery. You will be allowed to take your child home when your child is awake and can breathe easily, cough, and swallow. In most cases, this will be a few hours after surgery.

Why would someone need a Adenoidectomy?

A health care provider may recommend this procedure if:

  • Enlarged adenoids are blocking your child's airway. Symptoms in your child can include heavy snoring, problems breathing through the nose, and episodes of not breathing during sleep.
  • Your child has chronic ear infections that occur often, continue despite use of antibiotics, cause hearing loss, or cause your child to miss a lot of school days.

Adenoidectomy may also be recommended if your child has tonsillitis that keeps coming back.

The adenoids normally shrink as children grow older. Adults rarely need to have them removed.

What are the risks?

Risks of any anesthesia are:

  • Reactions to medicines
  • Breathing problems

Risks of any surgery are:

  • Bleeding
  • Infection
How to prepare for a Adenoidectomy

Your provider will tell you how to prepare your child for this procedure.

A week before the surgery, do not give your child any medicine that thins the blood unless your doctor says to do so. Such medicines include aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).

The night before the surgery, your child should have nothing to eat or drink after midnight. This includes water.

You will be told what medicines your child should take on the day of surgery. Have your child take the medicine with a sip of water.

What to expect after a Adenoidectomy

Your child will go home on the same day as surgery. Complete recovery takes about 1 to 2 weeks.

Follow instructions on how to care for your child at home.

What is the outlook (prognosis) for Adenoidectomy?

After this procedure, most children:

  • Breathe better through the nose
  • Have fewer and milder sore throats
  • Have fewer ear infections

In rare cases, adenoid tissue may grow back. This does not cause problems most of the time. However, it can be removed again if necessary.

Who are the top Adenoidectomy Local Doctors?
Fuad M. Baroody
Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology
5841 S Maryland Ave, 
Chicago, IL 
 18.5 mi
Accepting New Patients

Fuad Baroody is an Otolaryngologist in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Baroody and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in Adenoidectomy. His top areas of expertise are Allergic Rhinitis, Sinusitis, Nonallergic Rhinopathy, Adenoidectomy, and Endoscopy. Dr. Baroody is currently accepting new patients.

Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology

University Of Chicago

5841 S Maryland Ave, 
Chicago, IL 
 18.5 mi
Accepting New Patients
Offers Telehealth

Jayant Pinto is an Otolaryngologist in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Pinto and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in Adenoidectomy. His top areas of expertise are Anosmia, Sinusitis, Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP), Adenoidectomy, and Endoscopy. Dr. Pinto is currently accepting new patients.

 
 
 
 
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Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology
5841 S Maryland Ave # Mc1035, 
Chicago, IL 
 18.5 mi

Aaron Wallace is an Otolaryngologist in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Wallace and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in Adenoidectomy. His top areas of expertise are Prolactinoma, Bladder Reconstruction, and Adenoidectomy.

What are the latest Adenoidectomy Clinical Trials?
The Effect of Neck Hyperextension on Endotracheal Tube Cuff Pressure in Children

Introduction: Patients undergoing surgery under general anaesthesia are frequently intubated with an endotracheal tube (ETT). The safety margin of ETT cuff pressure is between 20-30 cmH2O. Inadequately inflated cuff (\<20 cmH2O) may cause secretions in the mouth, foreign bodies, bleeding due to surgery to escape into the trachea and/or air leakage. As a result of air leakage, the effect of mechanical ventilatio...

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Esketamine for the Prevention of Postoperative Behavioral Changes in Children Undergoing Tonsillectomy and/or Adenoidectomy: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to learn the effect of intravenous esketamine in postoperative negative behavior changes in children compared to placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug). It will also learn about the effect of esketamine in emergence delirium. The main questions are: Dose esketamine lower the incidence of postoperative negative behavior changes compared to placebo?...

Who are the sources who wrote this article ?

Published Date: November 29, 2022
Published By: Josef Shargorodsky, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

What are the references for this article ?

Schilder AGM, Rosenfeld RM, Venekamp RP. Acute otitis media and otitis media with effusion. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 199.

Told TN. Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. In: Fowler GC, ed. Pfenninger and Fowler's Procedures for Primary Care. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 66.

Wetmore RF. Tonsils and adenoids. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 411.