ABSTRACT

Aim:

Adenoidectomy is one of the most common surgeries performed by otolaryngologists especially in pediatric patients where the indications are generally mouth breathing, snoring, hyponasality and recurrent or persistent otitis media. Because of close localization between adenoid tissue and eustachian tube, adenoid hypertrophy and infection may cause eustachian tube disfunction, obstruction and as a result middle ear effusion. In our retrospecti-ve study, we aimed to compare adenoid hypertrophy’s affect to middle ear pressure preoperatively and postopera-tively by using otoscopic examination and tympanometry.

Meterial And Methods:

In our study 110 patients (220 ear) that underwent adenoidectomy or adenotonsillectomy without any attempt to ears were included and patients’ medical histories, nasal endoscopic examinations, opera-tion notes and preoperative and postoperative 6th month otoscopic examinations and tympanometric results were recorded.

Results:

Patients who had adenoid hypertrophy filling at least 80% of choana in their preoperative endoscopic examination were included in our study. Ears that were type B and C preoperatively(n=63), indicating middle ear effusion, were improved in 85.71% (n=54) of cases. When preoperative and postoperative tympanograms of pati-ents older than 4 years old and 4 year old and/or younger patients compared, there was no significant statistical difference; and a significant improvement was seen in both age groups.

Conclusion:

As a result, in major amount of patients, with only adenoidectomy, middle ear effusions may improve, and future complications of otitis media with effusion or necessity of ventilation tubes may be prevented. More reliable findings can be gained with future prospective and controlled studies.