Type of Surgery
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Last updated: 11/24/2009
After surgery, the patient wakes up in the recovery area and is given medication to reduce swelling and pain. When the patient has recovered from surgery, he or she is sent home and usually given a week's course of antibiotics to be taken by...
mouth. The patient may also develop a sore throat, especially when swallowing or speaking, or moderate pain at the back of the nose and throat, for which pain medication is prescribed. Normally, the pain goes away after a week. A child who has undergone an adenoidectomy should rest at home for at least one week to avoid possible infections at school. Swimming should not be allowed for at least 10 days after the operation. If there is any sign of bleeding or infection (fever, increased pain), the treating physician should be immediately contacted.
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Using graphic animation, this video shows the step by step process for removing tonsils and adenoids, including these anatomical structures that are located in the throat.
Patient's mouth is held open with tubes (A). A mirror is used to visualize the adenoids during the procedure (B). The adenoids are removed with a side-to-side or front-to-back motion (C). Bleeding is controlled with a cauterizing tool (D). (Illustration by GGS Inc.)
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Adenoidectomy is the surgical removal of the adenoids. They may be removed for several reasons, including impaired breathing through the nose and chronic infections or earaches. The surgery is common. It is most often done on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia. Post-operative pain is generally minimal and prevented with an abundance of icy or cold foods, though dairy foods such as ice cream should be avoided, as they coat the back of the throat, encouraging the body to produce phlegm, which can interfere with healing. The procedure can sometimes be combined with a tonsillectomy if needed. Recovery time can range from several hours to two or three days (though as age increases so does recovery time).
Adenoidectomy is often performed on children aged 1-6, as adenoids help the body's immune system. Adenoids become vestigial organs in adults.
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The decision to undergo ear tube surgery should be discussed carefully with the doctor, ... A variety of factors go into this decision. If you think putting tubes in the child's ears is going to improve developmental outcome at age 3, the answer is: no, it won't.
-Jack Paradise
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