Endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy a comparative study of endoscopic assisted curettage adenoidectomy with conventional curettage adenoidectomy.

The palatine tonsils, pharyngeal tonsil (or) Adenoids and lingual tonsils form the waldeyer’s ring and are part of the mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) system. Tonsils and adenoids are the body’s first line of defense for protection of the lower airways and the gastrointestinal tract as well as for development of antigenic memory by the host. An acute upper respiratory infection affects the adenoids and results in hyperplasia with multiplication of lymphoid follicles. Hypertrophied adenoid produces impairment of nasal respiration, mouth breathing, snoring and recurrent otitis media. Nasal endoscopy allows easy assessment of the size of the adenoid. Endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy improves the accuracy of adenoidectomy. AIM OF THE STUDY: 1. To study the advantages of endoscopic assisted curettage adenoidectomy in comparison with conventional curettage adenoidectomy. 2. Comparing the complete removal of adenoid tissue intraoperatively. 3. Comparing the blood loss in each surgical procedure. CONCLUSION: Adenoidectomy is a commonly performed procedure. The advent of endoscopic sinus surgery popularized the use of endoscopes. Endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy is a natural progression of this technology to allow a more complete adenoidectomy. Using the nasal endoscope, the curette can be accurately inserted at the superior border of the adenoid, allowing the complete transoral removal of the main bulk of the adenoid tissue, without injury to the eustachian tube orifice. Bleeding points are endoscopically visualized and controlled. From this we conclude that endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy is minimally invasive and is not associated with excessive bleeding. Furthermore sophisticated instruments are not required which can increase the cost – effectiveness. Patients who underwent endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy have decreased chance of remnants. Endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy is a time consuming procedure with less morbidity. Thus endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy technique is advocated for use as an adjuvant to a more complete adenoidectomy.