Questions About Adenoid (Adenoid) Surgery

The nasal cavity, also called the upper throat; located behind the nose. The air passing through the nose enters the nasal passages, from there it passes into the throat, larynx and trachea. In addition, there are Eustachian ducts that carry air to the middle ear in the nasal cavity. Thanks to these channels, the middle ear is not damaged by pressure changes.

What is Adenoid?

Adenoid is a defense tissue located in the upper part (ceiling) of the nasal cavity. It traps foreign organisms and microbes and fights them, removing them from the body. Adenoid, which has an indented structure, works very effectively especially in childhood. It can grow.

What Disorders Cause Larger Than Normal Adenoids?

• Difficulty in Breathing: Overgrown adenoid obstructs the way of air coming from the nose and makes it difficult for it to go to the trachea. In this case, children sleep with their mouths open, have difficulty in eating, and usually their mouths are always open. This situation seriously reduces the quality of life of children in many ways.

• Sleep problems: Children sleep quite restlessly because they cannot breathe comfortably. Frequent waking, excessive sweating, bedwetting are observed. In the daytime, there is either sleepiness or hyperactivity. In addition, these children may experience distraction, concentration disorders, and learning difficulties. Some children have sleep apnea (stopping breathing during sleep). (The most common cause of sleep apnea in children is adenoids and tonsils) Untreated sleep apnea can lead to severe diseases ranging from growth retardation to heart failure, cerebral palsy and even sudden death.

• Loss of appetite: Anorexia is frequently encountered in children who have difficulties due to larger adenoids. However, some children may be overweight.

• Growth retardation: Growth hormone is mostly secreted during sleep. In children with adenoid problems, the level of growth hormone released during sleep decreases due to sleep disorders. This situation leads to growth retardation in children.

• Tooth structure and jawbone Disorders in the skin: Children with nasal congestion due to adenoid enlargement have to breathe through their mouths. mouth breathing for a long time; It can cause developmental disorders such as narrowing of the palate, upper jaw, inability to develop forward, and flattening in the middle face. The faces of these children are called "nasal face" (facies adenoides) in medicine. Structural defects and caries in the teeth are also frequently observed effects.

• Sinusitis: Chronic sinusitis is another problem encountered in children with adenoid enlargement. Although they are partially healed with drug treatments, the disease may reappear with the slightest cold or fatigue.

• Middle ear diseases: There are Eustachian channels opening to the middle ear in the nasal cavity. These channels can be blocked as a result of adenoid enlargement, or the microbes in the adenoid can go from the Eustachian canal to the middle ear and cause infection.

How to Treat Adenoid Growth?

Some protective methods can be applied to prevent adenoid growth. These; It can be listed as preventing the child from getting sick (where children get sick more often in environments such as kindergarten and school. Taking them from the nursery can be considered as a precaution), using drugs (using cortisone spray in the nose) and leaving them to time. While it may benefit some children, it does not cause a significant change in others. In addition, it is not possible to say with certainty how long the child will be kept away from kindergarten/school. This period; It may be a few weeks or even a few months.

There is no definite evidence that nasal cortisone sprays shrink adenoids, but there are some opinions that it is beneficial. As children grow, adenoids do not grow at the same rate. Therefore, the adenoid will remain small in time. However, this process can take years. However, it can be considered as a suitable option for children who can be closely monitored and whose adenoids are not excessively obstructive or problematic. Frequently sick and/or deceased due to enlarged adenoids Adenoid surgery performed in children with congestion problems caused by the nasopharynx provides great benefits.

When to Perform Adenoid Surgery?

• Recurrent adenoid infections in the child and related complications If ear infections, tonsillitis are observed,
• If there is no positive response to the treatment with the use of antibiotics,
• If the enlarged adenoids obstruct the airways and make it difficult to breathe, the adenoid can be removed by surgery.

Since the nasal meat is one of the defense stops against microbes, it is requested that children remain protective during the age period when they have intense upper respiratory tract infections. But if it harms the child's growth and development and if one of the above items is valid, it is done at any age, provided that it is not younger than 2 years old. Since the immune system is not fully mature in children under 2 years of age, it is important that the adenoid tissue, which is lymphoid tissue, is defended against microorganisms taken from the mouth and nose. is done under anesthesia. This means that the child will be asleep during the procedure and will not feel pain. After general anesthesia is given, a metal instrument is inserted to keep the child's mouth open during the surgery. The nasal flesh is removed in a few minutes. The nasal cavity is checked with the endoscope and the operation is completed after making sure that the adenoid is removed without residue. Adenoid surgery usually takes about 15-45 minutes in total.

What Should Be Considered After the Surgery?

Cold pack is applied after the procedure. A few hours after the operation, the child is given food, he is allowed to stand up and go to the toilet. The child, who is observed to have survived this process without any problems, is usually discharged on the same day. It is recommended to stay away from rude environments for 3-4 days. There is no need for any other restrictions or the use of any medication. In the following days, he may experience a sore throat, bad breath and runny nose, but after a few days improvement is observed. Full recovery occurs within 1 to 2 weeks.
After the treatment of adenoid, there is a possibility that the adenoid can grow by renewing itself. If this If the situation is observed, the treatment methods are applied again from the beginning.

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