Patient's question:
Recently, I found that my child snores very loudly at night. The hospital examination revealed that it is due to hypertrophy of the adenoid. I don't know much about this disease. Could you please tell me what the function of the adenoid is?Doctor's answer:
Adenoids, also known as pharyngeal tonsils, are a group of lymphoid tissues similar to (palatal) tonsils, attached to the posterior wall of the nasopharynx. If infected during childhood, adenoids can become enlarged and inflamed, potentially leading to permanent hypertrophy. Adenoid hypertrophy can obstruct nasal breathing and affect sinus drainage, making individuals more susceptible to sinusitis. It can also block the Eustachian tube (otitis, a passage from the nasopharynx to the middle ear), leading to middle ear infections. Children with adenoid hypertrophy or infected adenoids are often treated with surgery, which may include the removal of the tonsils.