Adenoidectomy

Adenoidectomy is a surgery for removal of the adenoids. Adenoids are small lumps of tissue located behind the nose, just above the tonsils. However, they are not as directly visible as the tonsils. The adenoids are crucial in fighting off infections in babies and young children. They disappear as a part of the normal growing process, and are not seen in adults.

An adenoidectomy is undertaken in children with enlarged or infected adenoids, who frequently complain of breathing difficulties, chronic infections or earaches.

Procedure

An adenoidectomy is performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia. During this surgery, the patient’s mouth is kept open using a special instrument. After locating the adenoids, the surgeon removes the adenoids by either scraping or cauterization. Finally, the area is packed with absorbent material to control bleeding.

Risks and Complications

Adenoidectomy is a straight-forward surgery. However, as with any surgical procedure, there is a small chance of complications. Some of the potential complications include bleeding, bacterial infection at the surgery site, sore throat, blocked nose, and change in the voice, i.e., the voice sounds more “nasal”.