Explanation

An adenoidectomy is when a doctor removes your adenoids. Adenoids are small lumps of tissue in the back of your throat on each side that help fight infection. As you get older your adenoids start to shrink and eventually disappear altogether, because they are not an essential part of your immune system.

Why do I need an adenoidectomy?

If your adenoids keep getting swollen and causing you problems, your doctor might suggest removing them.

You may get big or swollen adenoids for lots of reasons. One reason is because when your adenoids help fight an infection they can sometimes get infected themselves. This is called adenoiditis. It makes them swell up and gives you a sore throat and stuffed or runny nose. They may also swell up because of an allergic reaction that you have, or you can just be born with big adenoids.

Your adenoids can keep getting swollen or infected causing you a lot of pain and discomfort. If you have big or swollen adenoids it may also block your nose so you have trouble breathing through your nose, and even start snoring or start having problems sleeping at night. Big or swollen adenoids can also block the entrance to your inner ear and this can cause a condition called glue ear, which can mean you can't hear as well anymore.

Often, kids get an infection in their tonsils and adenoids at the same time. If this happens to you, your doctor may suggest removing both at the same time, this is then called adenotonsillectomy.

What happens before I have my adenoidectomy?

You should make sure you tell your doctor about any other medicines you are taking especially medicines that prevent your blood from clotting.

You should also tell your doctor about any illnesses you have or have had in the past, including allergies. If you have a cold or are sick in any way, your adenoidectomy might need to be delayed until you get better. Make sure you call your doctor and ask him or her what you should do. Also, tell your doctor if you have any loose teeth as it may be dangerous if they are bumped during your operation.

It's important that you don't eat or drink anything before your operation. Your doctor will tell you exactly how long you have to go without food and drink but it's usually around 6 hours. Doctors try to do adenoidectomies in the morning so that you only need to skip your breakfast. It's really important that you do exactly as your doctor has said otherwise it could be very dangerous when you are asleep.

How is an adenoidectomy done?

Your adenoidectomy will be done at a hospital and you will normally only have to be there for a day but you may have to stay there overnight. A nurse will check your heart rate and blood pressure before the operation. A doctor called an anaesthetist will give you medicine to make sure that you are asleep the whole time. You will get this medicine either as an injection, a gas that you breathe in or through a tube that the doctor will put down your throat to help you breathe.

During the operation, your surgeon will scrape out your adenoids with a special instrument called a curette. Sometimes your doctor will use a hot wand to remove your adenoids and to make the bleeding stop - don't worry, you won't feel anything. Your doctor will then seal the wound so it doesn't bleed.

The whole operation only lasts for between 15 and 30 minutes.

What happens after I have my adenoidectomy?

You will either go home the same day or the following morning. A nurse might make another appointment with you to check that your wound is healing well. Your doctor may also give you some antibiotics to make sure you don't get an infection before you recover.

You might find that it's difficult to swallow food and drink for a while until you heal, but make sure you try to! It's especially important that you try to drink lots of water so that you don't get dehydration. You could try taking a pain killer about half an hour before eating. It might also help if you eat soft food or liquid food for a few days and try not to have anything that is too hot. But don't worry, this won't last for too long. You should be fully recovered in two weeks time!

Is there anything else I should look out for after adenoidectomy?

You should keep an eye out for any signs of an infection. If you feel very unwell, have a fever or strong pain even though you took a pain killer, you may have an infection. You should tell your doctor straight away if this happens.

Also, bleeding in your throat after you have left the hospital is not normal. If there is more than a very small amount of blood or you bleed for more than 2 minutes you should go to the hospital straight away.

What if I have any other questions?

If you have any other questions, you can ask your doctor, or chat to other people about adenoidectomy in the Medikidz forums and virtual world, Mediland.