ACOUSTIC RHINOMETRIC EVALUATION OF NASAL CAVITY AND NASOPHARYNX AFTERADENOIDECTOMY AND TONSILLECTOMY

The occurrence of upper airway obstruction is frequently seen in patie nts with adenotonsillar hypertrophy. These patients usually also show hypertrophied inferior turbinates even without any other nasal or sinu s disease. However, it is not known what the effect of adenoidectomy a nd tonsillectomy is on these hypertrophic turbinates. To determine the effect of these procedures on the nasal and nasopharyngeal geometry, we performed acoustic rhinometry previous to and 2 weeks following ade noidectomy and tonsillectomy, before and after spraying a decongestant in 31 children (19 males, 12 females; mean age, 8.03 years). After th e adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy, there were increases in the cross-s ectional area at the anterior end of the inferior turbinate (0.53 +/- 0.03 cm(2) preoperatively, 0.65 +/- 0.21 cm(2) postoperatively; P = 0. 01), the nasal volume (7.13 +/- 1.78 cm(3) preoperatively, 9.38 +/- 1. 65 cm(3) postoperatively; P < 0.01), the cross-sectional area at the a denoid (0.80 +/- 0.53 cm(2) preoperatively, 1.83 +/- 0.81 cm(2) postop eratively; P < 0.01) before decongestion. However, 10 min after decong estion there was only a significant increase of the cross-sectional ar ea at the adenoid (1.08 +/- 0.12 cm(2) preoperatively, 1.80 +/- 0.20 c m(2) postoperatively; P = 0.01). We conclude that adenoidectomy and to nsillectomy reverse the congestion of the inferior turbinate which is observed in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy and that acoustic rhinometry can be used to evaluate the effect of adenoidectomy and to nsillectomy on the nose and nasopharynx. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ire land Ltd. All rights reserved.