Adenoidectomy and turbinate reduction are two types of nasal surgeries that may become necessary to improve the ability to breathe through the nose. The adenoids and turbinates can become enlarged and cause an obstruction to airflow, which can interfere with your quality of life and even pose serious health complications like sleep apnea.
Turbinates
Turbinates are small areas inside of the nose, on each side of the septum, which perform the important function of warming inhaled air on its way to the lungs. They are also covered with millions of tiny hairs that act as filters to help clean the air that is inhaled through the nose. Turbinates can become enlarged due to infection or allergies. When they get so large that they interfere with the ability to breathe normally, turbinate reduction surgery may be recommended.
Turbinate Reduction
Turbinates are not removed because their function is vital to comfortable breathing. Without turbinates, the inside of your nose would become very dry, and you would experience burning pain. The purpose of a turbinate reduction is to remove a small portion of the turbinate so that symptoms are relieved, yet leave enough for it to continue to humidify and filter inhaled air.
Turbinate surgery can be performed under local anesthesia or general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. The surgery can be done through the nostril so no incision is required. Portions of the turbinate are removed by cutting, using a laser or a radio frequency current device. It may take up to 2 weeks to recover from turbinate surgery. Until that time, you must limit exertion and exercise. You may need to take 2 weeks sick leave if your job requires manual labor. Expect to have a stuffy nose for several days until swelling subsides.
Adenoids
The adenoids are small glands located between the end of the nasal airway and the back of the throat. Adenoids can become enlarged and cause partial blockage of the airway, which leads to a variety of problems like snoring, blocked nasal passages, chronic ear infections, tonsillitis and sleep apnea. When these problems are chronic, an adenoidectomy may be indicated. A tonsillectomy is often performed at the same time. As a child grows, the adenoids shrink; therefore they rarely cause these problems in older children or adults.
Adenoidectomy
An adenoidectomy is surgical removal of the adenoids. An adenoidectomy is performed under general anesthesia, so the patient sleeps throughout the procedure. The surgery itself is a quick procedure and is normally done as an outpatient procedure. An instrument is used to scoop out the adenoids, and bleeding is controlled through cauterization and packing.
There will some pain after surgery, similar to a sore throat. There may also be nasal drainage and stuffiness. It can take up to 2 weeks for healing to be complete after an adenoidectomy.
