Central incisor width as a predictor of appropriate curette size in adenoidectomy

As inadvertent eustachian tube injury during adenoidectomy can have serious short- and long-term implications, a simple anatomic correlate that could predict the optimal curette choice for adenoidectomy, especially in severel y hypertrophic cases, is beneficial. This study evaluates the correlation o f the distance between the lateral borders of the upper central incisors an d the distance between the tori tubarius in the nasopharynx. One hundred on e consecutive patients undergoing adenoidectomy at a pediatric tertiary car e hospital were enrolled in this study. The patients ranged in age from 7 m onths to 15 years. No complications were noted in any of the procedures. Du ring the operation, the distance between the central upper incisors was mea sured in millimeters, as was the inter-tubarius width (ITW). A multiple reg ression analysis was completed to assess the correlation between central in cisor width and ITW Age and inter-incisor width were positively correlated with ITW in a statistically significant manner (p =.007 and p =.006, respec tively). The distance between the lateral borders of the upper central inci sors predicts the distance between the tori tubarius in the nasopharynx. Th erefore, an adenoid curette the window of which does not overlap the latera l aspects of the central upper incisors can be used relatively safely, even in fields with poor visualization.