Adenoids are glandular
tissue and are part of the immune system. They hang from the upper part of the
back of the nasal cavity. You cannot see your adenoids. An x-ray is done to
determine the size of the adenoids.
Adenoids help to defend
the body from infection. They trap bacteria and viruses which you breathe in
through your nose; they contain cells and antibodies of the immune system to
help prevent throat and lung infections.
Although adenoids may help
to prevent infection, they are not considered to be very important. The body
has other means of preventing infection and fighting off bacteria and viruses.
In fact, the adenoids tend to shrink after early childhood, and by the teenage
years they often almost disappear completely. Generally, you can have your adenoids
removed without increasing your risk of infection.
Traditionally blind curetting
of adenoidal tissue was times tested method but leaves behind large amounts of adenoidtissue causing air flow obstruction. Endoscopic coblation
adenoidectomy ensures complete removal of adenoid tissue and
reduces postoperative adenoid grade. Another benefit is the ability to
use a single instrument to ablate and coagulate tissue, with significant
improvement of patient recovery. It can also reach the
cranial portion of the adenoid and its intranasal extension.
The advantages observed with coblation adenoidectomy, compared with the curettage
technique are:
- the lack of bleeding (abundant bleeding with curettage);
- provides a direct endoscopic view of the adenoid (blind surgery or mirror view with traditional cold curettage);
- the ability to reach all the areas of the rhinopharynx up to the Eustachian tube opening (the cranial part of the rhinopharynx cannot be reached with curettage);
- lower risk of residual adenoid tissue after coblator surgery;
- fewer complications (no cutting blade with coblation adenoidectomy);
- it is suitable for patients of all ages, although the decrease of pain intensity and duration is important in paediatric patients;
- reduction in the use of post-operative drug and loss of working days for parents due to faster post-surgical healing.