What is adenoid hypertrophy (enlarged adenoids)

Condition analysis:
Adenoid hypertrophy (or enlarged adenoids) is the unusual growth of the adenoid tonsil first described by the Danish physician Wilhelm Meyer (1824-1895) in Copenhagen in 1868. He described that a long term adenoid hypertrophy will cause an obstruction of the nasal airways. These will lead to a dentofacial growth anomaly that was defined as "adenoid facies".

There is very little lymphoid tissue in the nasopharynx of young babies; humans are born without substantial adenoids. The mat of lymphoid tissue called adenoids starts to get sizable during the first year of life. Just how big the adenoids become is quite variable between individual children.

Instructions:
Treatment: There is some low quality evidence suggesting that mometasone may lead to symptomatic improvement in children with adenoid hypertrophy.

Surgical removal of the adenoids is a procedure called adenoidectomy. Carried out through the mouth under a general anaesthetic, adenoidectomy involves the adenoids being curetted, cauterised, lasered, or otherwise ablated. Adenoidectomy is most often performed because of nasal obstruction, but is also performed to reduce middle ear infections and fluid (otitis media). The procedure is often carried out at the same time as a tonsillectomy, since the adenoids can be clearly seen and assessed by the surgeon at that time.