Tonsils are a part of the immune system located in the throat while adenoids are a similar tissue located in the nasopharynx(the part behind the nose). Both act as a first line of defence against microbe invasion of the aero digestive tract.
While performing this immunoprotective task, these tissues by themselves may become a part of the disease process by becoming a site of infection themselves. Additionally, adenoids by virtue of their location may further cause nasal obstruction leading to poor nasal breathing. Both conditions are more common in children.
– Throat pain – Frequent sore throat
– Enlarged neck lymph nodes
– difficulty in swallowing
– May lead to conditions like Rheumatic Heart disease or Glomerulonephritis in children
– Failure to grow/thrive in children
If the above symptoms are found, there may be a need to undergo tonsillectomy surgery pending further evaluation , whereby tonsils are removed from both sides. Tonsils are very much a removable tissue, and are removed intraorally i.e. via mouth.
– Nasal blockage
– Breathing through the mouth, especially noted at night
– Nasal bleed
– Failure to grow/ thrive in children
– Facial changes in children ( called as adenoid facies)
– Ear symptoms like decreased hearing, effusion (fluid) in the ear and ear discharge.
In case the above symptoms are present, there may be a need to undergo adenoidectomy surgery pending further evaluation. At our centre adenoidectomy is carried out under endoscopic vision and with the help of a special blade called as microdebrider; among the many techniques of adenoid removal, the above technique has been found to be superior to all others, as complete removal of adenoid tissue is ensured without the risk of damage to any vital structures and any chances of recurrence.
Moreover, often both the conditions are found to be coexisting in the same patient with children being most commonly affected and hence they must be diagnosed and treated to prevent further complications.