Current indications for adenoidectomy in a sample of children in the Netherlands

To study current indications for adenoidectomy in Dutch children.

During 6 months, ENT surgeons in 1 academic and 7 general hospitals in the Netherlands filled out a questionnaire concerning all children below 15 years of age that were selected for adenoidectomy either as a single procedure or combined with myringotomy or tympanostomy tube placement. This questionnaire collected data on patient characteristics, ENT history, and indication(s) for the procedure.

Questionnaires were returned on 159 children. The study population was comparable to the general population of children undergoing adenoidectomy in the Dutch Health Care Services database concerning age and sex. Adenoidectomy alone was performed in 38%, adenoidectomy and myringotomy in 15%, and adenoidectomy and tympanostomy tube placement in 47%. In children selected for adenoidectomy alone, indications were recurrent upper respiratory tract infections or chronic rhinosinusitis in 60%, persistent otitis media with effusion or recurrent acute otitis media in 33%, and obstructive symptoms in 42%. In children selected for adenoidectomy and myringotomy and those selected for adenoidectomy and tympanostomy tube placement, indications were persistent otitis media with effusion or recurrent acute otitis media in 96% and 99%, recurrent upper respiratory tract infections or chronic rhinosinusitis in 88% and 59%, and obstructive symptoms in 33% and 24%, respectively.

In Dutch ENT practices, almost two-thirds of adenoidectomies are combined with myringotomy or tympanostomy tube placement. The most common indication for adenoidectomy combined with myringotomy or tympanostomy tubes is middle ear disease. For adenoidectomy alone, recurrent upper respiratory tract infection is the most common indication.