Cardio-pulmonary manifestations of Adenoid hypertrophy

Adenoids are a midline structure located at the junction of the posterior wall and the roof of the nasopharynx forming a part of the Waldeyer¿s ring. Wilhelm Meyer coined the term ¿adenoid¿ which means ¿nasopharyngeal vegetations¿. They are a collection of lymphatic tissue lying within the mucous membrane, play a role in immunity housing large numbers of immunocompetent cells such as B-cells, T-cells, lymphocytes, and macrophages. As a result, the adenoids are highly prone to inflammation when an immune response is evoked against foreign antigens. Any ancillary inflammation i.e actual inflammatory hypertrophy beyond physiologic adenoid enlargement causes partial or complete nasopharyngeal obstruction. In children, where adenoidectomy is the sole surgical procedure indicated, an assessment of the adenoid should be made prior to the decision to operate. There are host of investigations for assessment for the presence and size of the adenoids. Digital Palpation of Nasopharynx under general anesthesia, Posterior Rhinoscopy, X-ray Nasopharynx, Fibre-optic Flexible Nasopharyngoscope, CT Scan, MRI Scan are the various modalities of evaluation and assessment of adenoid hypertrophy.