Adenoid hypertrophy in adults, a rare cause of nasal obstruction: an evaluation of 12 cases

Background: Adenoid hypertrophy (AH) is often underestimated in adults with nasal obstruction. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical significance of AH as a cause of nasal obstruction in adults. Materials and Methods: Case series study of adult patients (6550 patients) suffered from nasal obstruction, 12 of them found to have AH during the period from February 2003 to August 2012. The diagnosis was made in different ways; some were diagnosed preliminary by history and clinical examination, nasolaryngoscopy, and radiography, in others the diagnosis was done by accidental finding during operations for septal and sinuses pathology. The above groups of patients adenoidectomy were performed. The remaining patient, excisional biopsy was done for a postnasal space mass diagnosed provisionally as angiofibroma. Follow up continued for one year after surgery. Results: Out of 12 patients aged between I8-36 years with AH, four patients were diagnosed preoperatively, another seven patients were diagnosed during operations for septal and sinuses pathology. The AH represented 0.18% of the causes of nasal obstruction in adults. Allergic manifestations occurred in two thirds of the studied patients. Conclusion: From this study it is concluded that AH should be considered in the differential diagnosis of adults suffering from nasal obstruction.