Many parents may wonder why their children always seem to have more severe symptoms such as nasal congestion and a large amount of mucus than others, even if they have a cold? If that's really the case, be wary of whether there is "adenoid hypertrophy"!

 

Professor Shi Jianbo and Dr. Zou Wenting from the Ear, Nose, and Throat Department of Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital successfully performed adenoid ablation surgery on a 3-year-old child, helping him overcome problems such as nasal congestion and mouth breathing, and opening a new chapter of healthy growth.

 

Through this case, Professor Shi hopes to raise parents' awareness of the common problem of "adenoid hypertrophy".

 

1、 Repeated illness, difficult surgical decision

This 3-year-old child, Lele (pseudonym), had previously visited multiple hospitals due to frequent colds, sinusitis, and other issues. After entering kindergarten, every time I catch a cold, my nose becomes extremely congested, and my sleep quality is poor at night. I always toss and turn, making it difficult to fall asleep.

 

Previously, the hospital found that the child had adenoid hypertrophy and suggested that Lele undergo surgery. However, since the child is only 3 years old, parents have been hesitant about whether to perform surgery on their child.

 

2、 Professional diagnosis and treatment, ignite the light of hope

This year, parents learned that Professor Shi Jianbo, a renowned doctor from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, had a visit to our hospital, so they came to our ENT department for treatment.

 

Professor Shi Jianbo has over 30 years of clinical practice experience and is a renowned expert in nasal science, nose eye related disciplines, and nasal skull base surgery both domestically and internationally. He is currently a professor, chief physician, and doctoral supervisor at Sun Yat sen University. Since 1991, he has been deeply engaged in clinical research in nasal endoscopic surgery and has high expertise in related fields.

 

Dr. Zou Wenting graduated from Sun Yat sen University and is a master's student under Professor Shi. She has over 10 years of clinical experience and is familiar with Professor Shi's treatment philosophy and surgical methods. The master and apprentice work together in our hospital to provide patients with full course diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.

 

Professor Shi Jianbo conducted detailed consultations, physical examinations, and electronic nasal endoscopic examinations when receiving patients. After comprehensive evaluation, it was ultimately determined that the child's diagnosis was caused by adenoid hypertrophy, which had almost completely blocked the posterior nostrils. The child's repeated nasal congestion also affected their quality of life, accompanied by poor sleep and other symptoms. Medication did not show significant improvement, which is consistent with surgical adjustment diagnosis.

 

Professor Shi, with his rich experience, explained in detail to parents the necessity and expected effects of the surgery, giving them confidence in the surgery.

 

3、 Famous doctors and excellent equipment help achieve successful surgery

The name of Lele's surgery is "Adenoid Body Ablation Surgery", which utilizes the principle of thermal effect. While ablating adenoid tissue, the ablated tissue can be suctioned away in a timely manner, and the trauma will be much smaller than traditional cutting surgery.

 

Professor Shi Jianbo has been engaged in clinical research in nasal endoscopic surgery since 1991 and is one of the earliest nasal specialists in this field in China. Up to now, more than 6000 cases of nasal endoscopic surgery have been independently completed.
 

 

At the same time, our hospital uses imported Xerox brand equipment for adenoid ablation surgery. This device can timely remove the tissue after ablation while ablating adenoid tissue, greatly reducing the amount of bleeding during surgery. The surgical time has also been greatly reduced from half an hour to one hour in traditional surgery to only about 5 minutes. This device is less prone to blockage and the surgical process is smoother, providing strong guarantees for the success of the surgery.

 

Adenoid ablation surgery is performed under general anesthesia, but the trauma is usually not significant. Parents can also choose whether to be hospitalized based on their actual situation. Our hospital's inpatient ward can provide one patient room to prevent cross infection, and there are 24-hour medical staff on duty to provide safe protection for babies.

 

*Precautions

Due to the special location of the adenoids, bleeding is usually swallowed by children. After surgery, the child can be observed for frequent swallowing movements, and if necessary, spit to see if there is fresh blood.

 

4、 Postoperative recovery, opening a new chapter in health

It is gratifying that Lele's postoperative recovery was very smooth, with almost no surgical traces. Mom gave feedback that after the surgery, Lele's mental state was good, her appetite increased significantly, her sleep was stable and steady, she no longer tossed and turned like before, her appetite remained good, and her weight and height increased significantly.

 

More than a month after the surgery, Lele caught another cold, but this time her mother noticed that Lele's symptoms had noticeably improved.

 

5、 Pay attention to adenoid hypertrophy and protect children's health

Professor Shi Jianbo reminds parents that if their children experience repeated nasal congestion, nasal sounds, restless sleep, or open mouth breathing, they should promptly take their children to the hospital for evaluation.

 

Especially in autumn and winter, babies are prone to respiratory infectious diseases. If there is also adenoid hypertrophy, it is easy to have severe symptoms like Lele's.

 

Image source: UpToDate Child with allergies - UpToDate

 

Adenoid facial features generally begin to gradually form between the ages of 4-6, and if a child has a history of related diseases for one or two years, special attention should be paid. Before the age of three or four, it is the golden period for the treatment of adenoid problems, because the age of 4-6 is a critical stage for children's facial development. During this period, if there are long-term conditions such as mouth breathing and nasal congestion due to adenoid problems, it may affect the child's face and make recovery difficult in the later stage. I hope parents can pay attention to their children's adenoid health and safeguard their healthy growth.

 

Dr. Shi Jianbo, an otolaryngologist

Dr. Shi Jianbo obtained his doctoral degree from Jinan University in 1998 and completed his postdoctoral research at Sun Yat sen University in 2003. He is the most renowned expert in nasal science, nose eye related disciplines, and nasal skull base surgery both domestically and internationally. Currently, he is a professor, chief physician, and doctoral supervisor at Sun Yat sen University. Since 1991, Dr. Shi Jianbo has been deeply involved in clinical research of nasal endoscopic surgery and basic research of chronic sinusitis. He is one of the earliest nasal specialists in China to engage in clinical work in this field and complete the most surgeries. He has high expertise in standardized treatment of chronic sinusitis, endoscopic optic nerve decompression, frontal sinus surgery, endoscopic sinus tumor surgery, and standardized treatment of pediatric snoring. He has worked in the otolaryngology department of a tertiary hospital for over 30 years.

 

In terms of scientific research, Dr. Shi Jianbo has undertaken 45 research projects, including 1 special research project of the Ministry of Health and 6 projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation. He has published more than 174 papers in important academic journals at home and abroad, participated in the compilation of more than 3 monographs, and has won 1 first prize and 1 second prize respectively for scientific and technological achievements of the Ministry of Education and 1 first prize for scientific and technological achievements of Guangdong Province. He is currently an executive member and regional vice president of the International Society of Rhinology, and has served as the deputy leader of the Rhinology Group of the Chinese Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, deputy leader of the Rhinology Editorial Group of the Journal of Head and Neck Surgery, standing committee member of the Chinese Medical Association Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Association, and vice chairman of the Guangdong Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Association.

 

Proficient in chronic sinusitis, benign and malignant tumors of the nasal cavity, nose eye related surgery, and nasal skull base surgery. Especially in the fields of difficult to treat sinusitis (accompanied by asthma, eosinophilic sinusitis) and endoscopic surgery for difficult to treat frontal sinusitis, there is a high level of research.

 

The main clinical diseases of concern include:

1. Standardized treatment of chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps

2. Various nasal cavity expansion surgeries performed for nasal congestion

3. Medications and surgical interventions for pediatric snoring diagnosis

Surgical resection of benign and malignant tumors in the nasal cavity, sinuses, and nasal skull base

5. Endoscopic surgical treatment of various nose eye related diseases

Proficient in: English, Mandarin

 

Dr. Zou Wenting, attending physician

Dr. Zou Wenting holds a Master's degree in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery from Sun Yat sen University. She has worked at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat sen University and Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, with over 10 years of experience in otolaryngology. She has extensive clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric otolaryngology diseases. Before joining Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital, Dr. Zou worked for other private medical groups in Shenzhen, focusing on children's ear, nose, and throat.

 

Dr. Zou's expertise in clinical diseases includes:

1. Evidence based treatment for pediatric rhinitis and sinusitis;

2. Standardized treatment for snoring diagnosis, adenoid and tonsillar diseases in children;

3. Diagnosis and treatment of common throat diseases in children;

4. Diagnosis and treatment of pediatric ear, nose, and throat emergencies (trauma, foreign bodies, etc.);

5. Non invasive ear correction for newborns;

6. Diagnosis and treatment of common ear and nose diseases in adults and children.

In terms of language, Dr. Zou is proficient in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English.

 

The ENT department of Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital can provide comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, and throat specialties. Our doctors have extensive experience in treating ear, nose, and throat diseases in both children and adults.