Adenoidectomy: Correlation Between Individual Factors, Surgical Technique, and Residual Adenoids

Adenoidectomy is the most commonly performed otolaryngological surgical procedure in children. The removal of adenoid lymphoid tissue is intended to clear the nasopharynx and restore the patency of the nasal airways. In most cases, adenoidectomy leads to an improvement in symptoms and quality of life. However, in some patients, symptoms recur with the presence of lymphoid tissue obstructing the nasopharynx. In these cases, a surgical revision is often necessary. The traditional surgical technique is performed using an adenoid curette or Shambaugh adenotome without direct visualization of the surgical field. Among the known limitations of this surgery is the possibility of leaving intraoperative adenoid residues. In the literature, regarding the detection of adenoid vegetations in patients who have already undergone adenoidectomy, the term "regrowth" of lymphoid tissue is often used; how