Adenoidectomy in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is adenoidectomy?
Adenoidectomy is the removal of the adenoids, a single soft pad of lymphoid tissue that sits where the back of the nose meets the top of the throat. The adenoids sit hidden behind the soft palate, out of view when your child says "aah", which is why many parents are surprised to learn they exist. They help young children respond to germs in their early years and then gradually shrink, usually becoming very small by the teenage years.
Their position explains the symptoms. Enlarged adenoids narrow the passage your child breathes through, and they sit right beside the openings of the tubes that drain and ventilate the middle ears. When they swell, air struggles to pass through the nose and fluid can build up behind the eardrums. At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, adenoidectomy is carried out by the ENT surgeon as a planned day-case operation for children, with an anaesthetist caring for your child throughout.
Who needs it
Adenoidectomy is considered for children whose enlarged adenoids cause a lasting problem, such as:
- A permanently blocked nose and mouth breathing, often with a nasal-sounding voice, a runny nose that keeps coming back, and dry lips from breathing through the mouth day and night.
- Loud snoring and disturbed sleep, sometimes with pauses in breathing, restless nights, bed-wetting and a tired or irritable child during the day.
- Glue ear or repeated ear infections, where fluid behind the eardrum keeps returning and dulls hearing. Here the adenoids are often removed at the same time as grommets, the tiny ventilation tubes placed in the eardrums; see ear infection treatment.
When tonsils are also large, both are frequently removed in one operation; see tonsillectomy. The wider range of children's ear, nose and throat problems is covered under paediatric ENT.
The alternatives are watchful waiting, because adenoids shrink with age, and a trial of nasal steroid spray to reduce swelling, especially when allergy adds to the blockage. The decision is shared with you. The surgeon listens to how your child breathes and sleeps, looks at the adenoids with a thin flexible camera through the nose where your child can manage it, or reviews a side-view X-ray, and checks hearing with a hearing test when ears are part of the picture. A home sleep study may be arranged if the night-time pattern needs clarifying. Recording a short video of your child sleeping on your phone gives the surgeon a clear view of the snoring and breathing pauses.
What happens
Adenoidectomy is done under general anaesthetic, so your child is fully asleep and feels nothing during the operation. The anaesthetist meets you beforehand; see paediatric anaesthesia. A parent can usually stay with the child until they fall asleep.
The whole operation is performed through the open mouth, with the soft palate gently lifted to reach the back of the nose, so there are no cuts on the face. The surgeon removes the adenoid tissue and controls any bleeding from the area. When grommets or a tonsillectomy are planned as well, they are completed during the same anaesthetic.
Your child then wakes in the recovery area, where nurses check breathing, bleeding, comfort and drinking. Most children go home the same day once they are drinking and settled.
Preparing for it
A pre-operative assessment checks that your child is well enough for the anaesthetic. Tell the team about any family history of bleeding problems, easy bruising or frequent nosebleeds, and about every medicine, supplement or herbal remedy your child takes.
Surgery goes best when your child is free of a cough, cold or fever. If your child becomes unwell in the days before the date, call the team so they can review the timing. You will receive clear fasting instructions for food, milk and clear drinks.
Explain the operation to your child in simple, honest words, and bring a favourite toy or comforter. Plan for a quiet few days at home with an adult present. If surgery falls during Ramadan or a family trip, raise it early so the date suits your plans.
Afterwards
Most children recover quickly, and discomfort is usually milder than after tonsil removal. A blocked nose, a little blood-stained mucus, bad breath, a snuffly or slightly different voice, and a stiff neck or sore throat for a short while are all common and settle as the area heals. Some parents notice a nasal voice that changes as the back of the nose adapts; mention it at follow-up if it continues.
Give pain relief regularly as advised, offer plenty of drinks, and keep your child in cool indoor spaces during the hot months. Keep dusty outdoor play, crowded places and swimming pools on hold until the surgeon confirms they are suitable, and ask about flying, since ear pressure changes matter when grommets were placed too.
Any fresh bleeding from the nose or mouth after adenoidectomy means going to the emergency department immediately.
Call the hospital if your child has a persistent fever, drinks very little, passes little urine, seems unusually drowsy, or has pain that regular pain relief leaves uncontrolled.
Cost and insurance
Most UAE insurance plans cover adenoidectomy when it is medically indicated, and pre-approval is usually needed before a date is confirmed. Hearing test results, sleep findings and your record of symptoms support the request, and combined procedures such as grommets or tonsillectomy are included in the same approval. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of adenoidectomy?
The main risks of adenoidectomy are bleeding from the back of the nose, infection, and the usual risks of a general anaesthetic. Less commonly, the voice sounds more nasal for a time, adenoid tissue grows back, or symptoms continue because another cause such as allergy is also involved. Your surgeon explains how these apply to your child before you decide.
Do adenoids shrink on their own?
Adenoids usually shrink on their own as children grow, becoming very small by the teenage years. Surgery is considered when the symptoms are affecting sleep, hearing, speech or health now, rather than waiting for natural shrinkage to take years.
Can adenoids be seen by looking in my child's mouth?
Adenoids cannot be seen through the mouth, because they sit above the soft palate at the back of the nose. The surgeon assesses them with a thin flexible camera passed through the nose or with a side-view X-ray.
Is adenoidectomy done together with grommets or tonsillectomy?
Adenoidectomy is often combined with grommets for glue ear, or with tonsillectomy when enlarged tonsils also block breathing, all under one anaesthetic. The surgeon recommends a combination only when each part addresses a problem your child actually has.
Will removing the adenoids affect my child's immunity?
Removing the adenoids has no meaningful effect on a child's immunity, because many other lymphoid tissues in the throat and body continue to fight infection.
Can adenoids grow back after removal?
Adenoids can occasionally regrow after removal, particularly in very young children, because small amounts of tissue may remain. Regrowth that causes symptoms again is uncommon, and the surgeon reviews your child if a blocked nose or snoring returns.
Does air conditioning or dust make enlarged adenoids worse?
Dust, sand and dry air-conditioned rooms irritate the nose and can make swollen adenoids and allergic blockage feel worse. Clean air-conditioning filters, reasonable humidity and treating any allergy often ease symptoms, whether or not surgery is needed.
Is adenoidectomy ever done in adults?
Adenoidectomy is rarely needed in adults, because the adenoids have usually shrunk away by adulthood. Swelling at the back of the nose in an adult is examined carefully by the ENT surgeon to find its cause.
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