Suction diathermy adenoid ablation.

Adenoidectomy is a surgical procedure frequently carried out in otolaryngological practice, traditionally undertaken blindly with curettage using an adenotome following palpation of the adenoid bed. While a number of alternative methods have been described for surgical removal of the adenoid pad (power-assisted/microdebrider, transnasal adenoid ablation, suction coagulation and liquefaction/aspiration) none has become the definitive procedure. Suction diathermy adenoidectomy has been known and used for some time; it has gained in popularity over recent years and is established as an alternative to conventional curettage, particularly in children. We describe several techniques which improve the view of the surgical field while performing suction diathermy adenoid ablation.