Ear & throat
Adenoid Surgery
A clear airway behind the nose, so breathing, sleep and hearing can return to normal.
- Operation time
- 20–30 minutes
- Anaesthesia
- General
- Hospital stay
- Day case
- Back to work
- 3–5 days
- Final result
- 2–3 weeks
The adenoids are a pad of immune tissue at the very back of the nose, above the soft palate, where they cannot be seen through the mouth. In young children they are naturally large and usually shrink away by the teenage years. When they are too large, or repeatedly infected, they block the space behind the nose and the openings of the tubes that ventilate the ears. The result is a familiar picture for many parents: a child who breathes through the mouth, snores, sleeps badly, speaks with a nasal voice and gets one ear infection after another.
Adenoidectomy, the removal of the adenoids, is one of the most common operations in ENT and one of the most effective. It is performed in children and, less often, in adults whose adenoid tissue never shrank.
When the adenoids should come out
The decision is made on symptoms and examination, not on size alone. Dr. Teker looks at the adenoids directly with a thin endoscope passed through the nose, which a child tolerates well, and checks the eardrums and hearing. Surgery is recommended when the adenoids clearly block the airway with mouth breathing and disturbed sleep, when there is fluid behind the eardrums with hearing loss, or when ear or sinus infections keep returning despite treatment.
A short operation, no incisions
The adenoids are reached through the open mouth under general anaesthesia. Dr. Teker removes them under endoscopic view with a microdebrider or coblation, instruments that shave the tissue precisely and seal small vessels as they go. There are no cuts on the outside and no packing. The operation takes twenty to thirty minutes, and the child is usually home the same afternoon. If ear tubes or a tonsillectomy are needed, they are done in the same anaesthetic.
Recovery
A sore throat and a stuffy nose for a few days, soft food, plenty to drink and simple painkillers are the extent of it. Bad breath for about a week is normal as the area heals. Snoring often stops within days, and parents frequently comment on how much more rested their child is within a few weeks. Speech may sound slightly different at first as the palate adjusts to the new space; this settles.
Adults
Adenoid tissue occasionally persists into adulthood or enlarges again, causing blockage at the back of the nose, a nasal voice and pressure in the ears. Endoscopic examination shows it clearly, and removal is straightforward and effective.
How the operation is done
How the operation is done
- 01
Assessment
A thin flexible endoscope through the nose shows how much of the airway the adenoids block. Hearing and the eardrums are checked at the same time.
- 02
General anaesthesia
The operation is done asleep, with an anaesthetist present. Children are usually back in the ward within the hour.
- 03
Access through the mouth
The adenoids sit behind the nose above the soft palate and are reached through the open mouth. There are no external incisions.
- 04
Removal
The adenoid tissue is removed under endoscopic view with a microdebrider or coblation, which give precise removal and little bleeding.
- 05
Controlling bleeding
Any bleeding is stopped with gentle pressure or cautery. No packing is needed.
- 06
Combined procedures
Ear tubes or a tonsillectomy are done in the same anaesthetic when they are needed.
Recovery, step by step
Recovery, step by step
- Day 1
Home the same day. A sore throat, a stuffy nose and a temporary nasal voice are normal. Soft food and plenty of fluids.
- Days 2–3
Discomfort settles with simple painkillers. Bad breath for a few days is expected as the area heals.
- Week 1
Back to school or work. Snoring often improves immediately; nasal breathing gets better as swelling goes.
- Weeks 2–3
Healing complete. Sleep quality, appetite and daytime energy are usually clearly better.
- Month 2
Follow-up on hearing and ear fluid if that was part of the problem.
A note on risks
Adenoidectomy is a common and safe operation. Bleeding is rare and usually minor; very rarely it needs a return to theatre. Infection and anaesthetic reactions are uncommon. A temporary change in voice or a little fluid escaping through the nose when drinking can occur for a few weeks while the palate adjusts and almost always settles. In a small number of children the adenoid tissue partly regrows over years. Dr. Teker examines the palate carefully before surgery to reduce these risks.
FAQ
Questions patients ask
At what age can adenoids be removed?
Whenever they cause significant problems, most often between the ages of two and eight. Age alone is not a barrier; the decision depends on symptoms and the examination.
Will my child's immune system be affected?
No. Adenoids are part of a large network of immune tissue and their removal does not weaken the body's defences. Children generally have fewer infections afterwards.
Can adenoids grow back?
Occasionally some tissue regrows, especially in very young children, but it rarely causes symptoms again. Endoscopic removal makes regrowth less likely.
Do adults have adenoids?
Adenoids usually shrink after puberty, but in some adults they persist or enlarge and block the back of the nose. Removal is then just as effective.
Are ear tubes done at the same time?
If there is fluid behind the eardrums with hearing loss, yes. Doing both in one anaesthetic spares the child a second procedure.
Talk it through with Dr. Teker
Send a few photos on WhatsApp for a first assessment, or arrange a consultation at the clinic in Bakırköy.