Adenoids

• The adenoids:

  • Part of Waldeyer's ring of lymphatic tissue
  • Located at the back of the nose - posterior wall of nasopharynx
  • Important for immunity in young children - prominent around age 2-5
  • Regress over time and will have almost disappeared completely by adulthood - no longer needed for immunity
• Adenoid hypertrophy:

  • When the adenoids enlarge
  • Often due to recurrent URTIs causing inflammation
• Enlarged adenoids can cause nasal and Eustachian tube obstruction, causing:

  • Mouth breathing
  • Snoring/sleep apnoea
  • Chronic sinusitis
  • Recurrent acute otitis media
  • Glue ear
  • Chronic suppurative otitis media
  • Recurrent pharyngeal and chest infection - obstruction of breathing and mucous clearance
• Symptomatic enlarged adenoids are treated with adenoidectomy - surgical removal of the adenoids