adenoid hypertrophy
Last reviewed 01/2018
The adenoids are situated on the posterior wall of the nasopharynx in young children.
They begin to atrophy at about 6 years of age and have disappeared completely by the age of about 15.
However if a young child - between 1 and 4 years - suffers recurrent upper respiratory tract infection they may hypertrophy and become symptomatic because of consequent nasal and eustachian tube obstruction.
Treatment if indicated is adenoidectomy
Notes:
- lymphoid tissue known as the adenoids or the pharyngeal tonsils occupies the posterosuperior surface of the nasopharynx and is part of a larger collection of lymphoid tissue known as Waldeyer's ring.
Reference: