Is surgery the only option for enlarged adenoids?

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Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

My son is diagnosed with adenoid. I would like to have a second opinion on the status of his adenoids. I am sharing the x-ray with you. I appreciate any help you can provide.

Answered by Dr. Ranjit Peter

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Ranjit Peter has 26 years of clinical experience. He did his MBBS and DLO from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal in 1997 and 2000, respectively. He is qualified with an MS in Oto-Rhino-Laryngology from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Belgaum, and DNB in Oto-Rhino-Laryngology from the National Board of Examinations, New Delhi, India. He completed training in Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery of the Cranial Base and Pituitary Fossa in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. He is well versed with all Basic and Advanced Surgical Procedures in the ENT - Head and Neck Surgery Specialty with a particular interest in Endoscopic Ear Surgeries, Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, Endoscopic Anterior Skull Base Surgeries. He is proficient in the Head and Neck Surgeries, including Obstructive Sleep Apnea Correction Procedures.

Dr. Ranjit Peter has worked as an Assistant Professor in the ENT Department, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy, Mangalore, India before joining the Government of His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei in the ORL Department of the tertiary Care Hospital, RIPAS, Ministry of Health, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. Later, he worked as a Consultant and Head of the E.N.T. Department at Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospital, Kochi. Currently, Dr. Ranjit Peter holds the post of Senior Consultant and Head of the Department of ENT – Head and Neck Surgery, Kinder Multispecialty Hospital, Kochi, India. He is also a Visiting Senior Consultant Surgeon at Mandalar Hospital, Mandalay, Myanmar. He updates his knowledge and surgical skills by regularly attending International Conferences and Surgical Workshops. He has several Scientific Publications in International Journals and has also contributed to a Chapter in a Medical Textbook. He has delivered several Guest Lectures and Academic Presentations at Continuing Medical Education Programs and is well-versed in Evidence-Based Medicine.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Consult other doctors in the same speciality

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have gone through the X-rays (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity); the first x-ray is the X-ray nasopharynx lateral view taken to grade the adenoids, and the grade would be II to III. Meaning that it is causing about 50 to 75 % obstruction in the back part of his nose (nasopharynx). Also, he has typical protruding teeth classical of obstructive breathing. Nasal obstruction is not always caused by enlarged adenoids alone. There may be other factors to consider, such as nasal allergy, which may be causing boggy nasal turbinate tissues and causing nasal obstruction and noisy breathing. Hence it is essential to know whether there are any allergic symptoms such as bouts of sneezing in the mornings, itchy eyes, nose and throat, background of bronchial asthma, skin allergies, etc. The other factor we would consider is regarding his hearing. If the adenoid enlargement obstructs his eustachian tubes (connecting the back of his nose to the ears), he may have fluid in the ears or even some degree of reduced hearing capacity. The appropriate measure would be a clinical examination to look for all these factors. If so, generally, a three-month course of topical nasal steroid sprays is helpful, and then we can evaluate the improvement in symptoms before deciding on adenoid removal. Hope that answers your doubts.

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Medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team

March 8, 2022

October 23, 2024

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Otolaryngology (E.N.T)

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