Adenoidectomy, Tonsillectomy in Childhood Tied to Risk for Adult Chronic Rhinosinusitis

TUESDAY, March 31, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Prior tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in the setting of specific childhood conditions may be associated with increased rates of adult chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), according to a study published online Feb. 18 in The Laryngoscope.Robert E. Africa, M.D., from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and colleagues conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study using data from 100 health care organizations in the United States to examine the development of adult CRS and treatment with surgery or biologic therapy following pediatric adenotonsillectomy. Data were included from the TriNetX database for adults aged older than 18 years with or without prior childhood tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy.The researchers found that after pediatric adenotonsillectomy for childhood obstructive sleep apnea, there was no significant difference in the rate of adult CRS without nasal polyposis (CRSsNP), CRS with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), surgery, or treatment with biologics. The rate of CRSsNP was higher in adults who had an adenoidectomy alone as children (hazard ratio, 1.55). A higher rate of CRSwNP and surgery was seen in association with surgery for tonsillitis and adenoiditis (hazard ratios, 1.63 and 1.97, respectively). CRSsNP was seen in association with adenoidectomy for adenoiditis (hazard ratio, 1.94). An increased rate of CRSsNP was seen for adults with pediatric middle ear disease who had a childhood adenoidectomy alone (hazard ratio, 1.47)."These findings may suggest that children with recurrent or chronic infections have a predisposition to other infections that persists later in life, and that surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids for noninfectious reasons alone may not contribute to the development of adult CRS," the authors write.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Adenoidectomy, Tonsillectomy in Childhood Tied to Risk for Adult Chronic Rhinosinusitis

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