Change in Patient's Ages Who Took an Adenoidectomy for 30 Years

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Controversy remains regarding whether the age at which patients undergo adenoidectomy is increasing or decreasing. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze patient age at adenoidectomy over the past 30 years. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Retrospective analysis of adenoidectomy patients treated between 1984 and 2013 who were confirmed to have adenoid hypertrophy on physical examination and radiologic findings was performed. Patients were divided into three groups by decade, the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. The numbers of patients, mean/median age, maximum age, and sex ratio were analyzed for each group. RESULTS: A total of 2,450 patients were enrolled, including 466 cases in the 1980s, 946 in the 1990s, and 1,038 in the 2000s. The mean age of patients was 7.38 years in the 1980s, 8.16 in the 1990s, and 8.37 in the 2000s and has significantly increased since the 1990s (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The mean age of patients who underwent adenoidectomy has increased over the past 30 years. Therefore, adenoid hypertrophy needs to be considered in children of all ages who visit otorhinolaryngologic departments.