Endoscopic electrosurgical adenoidectomy: technique and outcomes.

Recent literature has embraced the use of electrosurgery and endoscopy in adenoidectomy, with several published articles on the subject. The combination of these methods and the routine use of endoscopy have not been reported. This approach provides a direct-targeted route to the nasopharynx, improved visualization, and magnification and offers a bloodless surgical field. It allows improved evaluation of the adenoids with their peritubal extensions, their lateral and central portions, and their extension to the posterior nasal choanae and even in the posterior nasal fossae and evaluation of the posterior of the middle and inferior turbinates. It permits objective documentation of the cause of nasal obstruction with possible use in outcome assessment. It is also an effective teaching method and a motivating approach for the nursing team. Our approach has proved cost and time efficient in our minimally invasive surgical (endoscopic) operating room set-up. This article reflects the experience in a series of 96 consecutive patients performed during a 9-month period and discusses the surgical technique and patients' outcomes. The endoscope and suction cautery were systematically used for all adenoid surgery. Outcomes were evaluated using a telephone survey with a global rating questionnaire.