Adult patients undergoing surgery for oto-rhinologic symptoms and children undergoing adenoidectomy, over a 3-years-period, were recorded. These were compared to adult patients undergoing adenoidectomy during the same period. The schedule to establish the diagnosis of adenoids in adults was mentioned. Adenoids in adults constituted 20.24% of all cases undergoing adenoidectomy, 12.54% of adult patients presenting with nasal symptoms necessitating surgery, and associated with 18.52% of adult cases with otitis media with effusion (OME) undergoing myringotomy.
We concluded that adenoids in adults is not uncommon problem. Enlarged adenoids should be routinely looked for and considered in the differential diagnosis of all adult patients presenting with oto-rhinologic symptoms. Preoperative endoscopic examination and digital examination under anaesthesia could establish the diagnosis. Histopathological confirmation is mandatory in all cases to exclude the possibility of malignancy.