Do adenoids regrow after excision?

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to determine the incidence of symptomatic adenoidal regrowth after adenoidectomy. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional follow-up study was done in a randomly selected group of 175 children who had undergone adenoidectomy 2 to 5 years earlier. Nasopharyngoscopy was performed in those children who still had symptoms of nasal obstruction. SETTING: All surgery was performed at an academic hospital-based practice in the northeastern United States by a single surgeon using a consistent operative technique, RESULTS: Forty-six (26%) patients had nasal airway obstruction symptoms at follow-up. Of the 35 who agreed to undergo nasopharyngoscopy, not a single one had adenoids occupying more than 40% of the nasopharynx, and most (71%) were found to have either no or only trace amounts of adenoidal tissue (usually in the pharyngeal recess). CONCLUSION: Adenoids rarely, if ever, regrow enough to cause symptoms of nasal obstruction after adenoidectomy that includes visualization and electrocautery of the adenoid bed.