There are two strategies for treating adenoid hyperplasia:
- Observational waiting (watchful waiting) and
- Adenotomy (surgical removal of so-called adenoid growths; pharyngeal tonsillectomy).
The indications for adenotomy are listed below.
Indications (areas of application)
- Hyperplasia of the pharyngeal tonsils (adenoid hyperplasia) leading to chronic obstruction of nasal breathing
- Chronic recurrent (frequently recurring) inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsils.
- Chronic otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear)/recurrent (recurrent) acute otitis media in hyperplasia of the pharyngeal tonsils.
- Chronic bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchi) in hyperplasia of the adenoids.
- Chronic rhinitis (rhinitis) in hyperplasia of the adenoids.
- Chronic sinusitis (sinusitis)/recurrent rhinosinusitis (simultaneous inflammation of the nasal mucosa (“rhinitis”) and the mucosa of the paranasal sinuses (“sinusitis“)) in hyperplasia of the adenoids.
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) – sleep-disordered breathing (SBAS) with pauses in breathing caused by obstruction of the upper airway.
- Recurrent (recurrent) upper respiratory tract infections in hyperplasia of the pharyngeal tonsils.
- Tubal ventilation disorder (ventilation disorder of the middle ear) with mucotympanum (tympanic effusion with mucous (= viscous-mucous) fluid).
The procedure
- S. u. Adenotomy
- If there is concomitant tympanic effusion, a paracentesis (tympanic membrane incision) to drain the middle ear (“tympanic”), with insertion of a tympanic ventilation tube if necessary, may be performed during the same procedure.
