Vegetation: Should vegetation be surgically removed or not?
Some fifteen years ago, surgically remove the vegetation was very common but today, the number of times dropped by 70%. However, this gesture is indispensable in certain cases.
Adenoids are lymph nodes located at the summit and at the back of the nasal cavity. Their role? Defend the body against viral and bacterial infections.
All babies are born with vegetation. They grow up to the age of 18 months, and then disappear around the age of 10 years.
WHEN VEGETATIONS ARE OVERWHELMED
Sometimes, in some children, that should form the bulwark against infections vegetation can no longer fulfill its role because they are overstretched: they grow and are constantly inflamed and enlarged.
Vegetation then themselves become a vector of microbes that infest the organism level instead of ENT secrete antibodies (a kind of military defense of the body).
The ongoing inflammation vegetation his ears and nose of the child who then tend to snore, loudly breathing through the mouth, talking with a nasal voice, to listen well, and to have bad breath, but more importantly, experiencing episodes of ear infections, colds and sore throats repeatedly.
WHEN TO OPERATE?
This is the ENT doctor who will take the decision or not to intervene in the face of tonsillitis, ear infections and nasopharyngitis repeatedly. Be aware that surgery is no longer systematic and there is no emergency. It is indeed necessary to weigh the pros and cons before you remove the natural barrier that is the vegetation.
A removal of vegetation will therefore be considered as a case of repeated failures of drug solutions or when the adenoids hypertrophy discomfort swallowing, breathing and sleep.
The intervention is rarely recommended before 4 years because vegetation and could push back problem. We also hesitate to practice this ablation after 8 years since the vegetation decline anyway naturally volume after this age.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE OPERATION?
Reassure your child and explain what the procedure is, with simple words. The operation is performed under general anesthesia and lasts half an hour. The child goes out at night and can even go back to school the next day.
He will feel mild pain and irritation in swallowing for two to three days. Little bleeding is common for 24 to 48 hours by mouth and nose. Do not fly it violently.
For a few days, offer to cold drinks, ice cream, warm mashed potatoes, stewed, minced meat … The return to a normal diet will be gradual. It is possible he vomited blood brown the day after surgery, or stools are darker, this is quite normal.
If in the next few days, your child vomits blood or temperature (38.5 ° C), contact your doctor or ENT.
