Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Indications
Risks
Preparation
How Long Is Surgery?
Post-Op Supplies
Recovery Timeline
Complications
Anadenoidectomyis a surgery to remove youradenoids. They are a small patch of tissue that sits in the back of your throat behind your nose. This mass of tissue is part of yourimmune system, which helps to fight germs that cause illness.
Having adenoids removed can be done alone or combined with atonsillectomy(surgery to remove your tonsils). Taking out adenoids is typically safe and comes with a low risk of side effects, though having tonsils and adenoids removed at the same time is a more complex procedure.
This article describes an adenoidectomy, the reasons it is done, the risks involved, and what to expect after it is done.
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Enlarged Adenoids, Adenoidectomy, and Age of Removal
Enlarged adenoidsmay be present from birth or occur as a reaction to an infection. Enlarged adenoids is a common problem in children.
When adenoids swell in reaction to aninfection, they typically return to normal size when the infection ends. However, they sometimes remain enlarged.
Enlarged adenoids do not always cause problems. Asymptomatic adenoids do not have to be removed. In some children, swollen adenoids can cause the following problems:
Adenoid enlargement is a problem that occurs more often in children than adults. There is no standardized ideal age to remove adenoids. However, an adenoidectomy is regarded as an effective treatment for most children under age 7 whose symptoms indicate one of the following conditions:
Sleep Apnea in Children: Everything You Need to Know
Is There Any Reason Not to Go Through With Adenoidectomy?
While your symptoms may align with those of swollen adenoids, an adenoidectomy is not always the best solution. Before advising an adenoidectomy, your healthcare provider may monitor the swelling to determine its cause and how long it lasts.
You may not have to go through with an adenoidectomy if your swollen adenoids can be reduced with an over-the-counter or prescribed medication such as one of the following:
While an adenoidectomy in children is generally free of problems, the procedure carries some risks, both short-term and long-term, as follows.
Short-term risks include:
Long-term risks include:
Adenoidectomy Surgery Preparation
Adenoidectomy surgery preparation helps ensure that you or your child reduces the risk of problems during and after surgery.
When surgery is scheduled, your surgeon will provide specific instructions to follow based on age and other medical conditions. Generally, adenoidectomy surgery preparation involves the following.
A week before the surgery:
The night before the surgery,stop eating or drinking after midnight. This includes drinking water.
How Long Does Adenoidectomy Take?
An adenoidectomy usually lasts between 20 and 30 minutes. After surgery, your child remains in the recovery room until they are awake and can breathe easily, cough, and swallow. Most children can go home an hour or two after their surgery concludes.
Post-Op Adenoidectomy Supplies
Your child will likely go home around two hours after their surgery ends. The timing for their release from the hospital or surgical center depends on how quickly they recuperate from anesthesia.
Review the post-op instructions from your healthcare provider about a week before the surgery so you know what to expect. Pain relief and hydration are important aspects of post-op care. You can help your child manage post-op pain and promote healing with the following post-op adenoidectomy supplies:
Adenoidectomy Recovery Timeline
While everyone recovers at their body’s own rate, most children have a complete recovery from adenoidectomy in about two weeks. Pain and discomfort are most intense in the day or two immediately after surgery, then begin to improve.
A typical adenoidectomy recovery timeline may include the following:
Immediately after surgery and lasting up to 24 hours after surgery:
Immediately after surgery and lasting up to seven to 10 days after surgery:
Immediately after surgery and lasting up to a month after surgery:
When Is It Safe to Return to Work or School After an Adenoidectomy?Postsurgical instructions generally advise waiting about five days after an adenoidectomy before returning to school or work. In addition to allowing your body time to heal, this waiting period helps keep you or your child away from crowds and people with colds and infections.
When Is It Safe to Return to Work or School After an Adenoidectomy?
Postsurgical instructions generally advise waiting about five days after an adenoidectomy before returning to school or work. In addition to allowing your body time to heal, this waiting period helps keep you or your child away from crowds and people with colds and infections.
Adenoidectomy Healing Complications
An adenoidectomy is considered a relatively safe surgery with a low rate of complications. Compared to an adenotonsillectomy (removal of adenoids and tonsils at the same time) complications of an adenoidectomy alone are infrequent.
However, every surgery carries the risk of healing complications. The following healing complications can occur after an adenoidectomy:
Get immediate medical care if your child has the following reactions:
Contact your healthcare provider if your child has the following reactions:
Your healthcare provider will give you instructions on the requirements for your child’s adenoidectomy follow-up care. This may involve an office visit a few weeks after surgery. It is important to attend any follow-up appointments even if your child seems to have healed without problems.
Summary
An adenoidectomy is usually done when adenoids become swollen and cause health problems. Taking them out can often provide relief from symptoms like nasal obstruction, sleep apnea, and chronic ear infections.
An adenoidectomy is viewed as safe, with a good prognosis for most children. It can often allow children to breathe better through their noses and get sounder sleep. They are also likely to have fewer sore throats and ear infections.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nemours KidsHealth.Adenoids and adenoidectomy.Schupper AJ, Nation J, Pransky S.Adenoidectomy in children: what is the evidence and what is its role?Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep. 2018;6(1):64-73. doi:10.1007/s40136-018-0190-8Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).Adenoids.American Academy of Family Physicians.Enlarged adenoids.University of Florida Health.Adenoid removal.Nationwide Children’s.Adenoid removal (adenoidectomy).UC Davis Children’s Hospital.After tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy: home care information.AboutKidsHealth.Adenoid surgery: caring for your child after the operation.University of Rochester Medical Center.Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for children.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nemours KidsHealth.Adenoids and adenoidectomy.Schupper AJ, Nation J, Pransky S.Adenoidectomy in children: what is the evidence and what is its role?Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep. 2018;6(1):64-73. doi:10.1007/s40136-018-0190-8Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).Adenoids.American Academy of Family Physicians.Enlarged adenoids.University of Florida Health.Adenoid removal.Nationwide Children’s.Adenoid removal (adenoidectomy).UC Davis Children’s Hospital.After tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy: home care information.AboutKidsHealth.Adenoid surgery: caring for your child after the operation.University of Rochester Medical Center.Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for children.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Nemours KidsHealth.Adenoids and adenoidectomy.Schupper AJ, Nation J, Pransky S.Adenoidectomy in children: what is the evidence and what is its role?Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep. 2018;6(1):64-73. doi:10.1007/s40136-018-0190-8Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).Adenoids.American Academy of Family Physicians.Enlarged adenoids.University of Florida Health.Adenoid removal.Nationwide Children’s.Adenoid removal (adenoidectomy).UC Davis Children’s Hospital.After tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy: home care information.AboutKidsHealth.Adenoid surgery: caring for your child after the operation.University of Rochester Medical Center.Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for children.
Nemours KidsHealth.Adenoids and adenoidectomy.
Schupper AJ, Nation J, Pransky S.Adenoidectomy in children: what is the evidence and what is its role?Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep. 2018;6(1):64-73. doi:10.1007/s40136-018-0190-8
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).Adenoids.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Enlarged adenoids.
University of Florida Health.Adenoid removal.
Nationwide Children’s.Adenoid removal (adenoidectomy).
UC Davis Children’s Hospital.After tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy: home care information.
AboutKidsHealth.Adenoid surgery: caring for your child after the operation.
University of Rochester Medical Center.Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for children.
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