[Diagnostics and treatment of adenotonsillar hyperplasia in children].

Adenoidectomy, paracentesis, and tonsillar interventions are the most common operations in childhood. Hypertrophy of the lymphatic tissue of Waldeyer's ring can lead to individually distinct, acute, and chronic symptoms as well as anatomical and functional changes. When presented with affected children in otolaryngologic practice, the combination of parental interview, questionnaire-based screening for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and physical examination including ear microscopy, inspection of the oropharynx and, if necessary, the nasopharynx, has proven its worth. Audiometric diagnosis for detection of tympanic effusion should be mandatory. The treatment of choice is adenoidectomy, if necessary plus tonsillotomy and paracentesis with a tympanic tube insert. However, the indication remains controversial, as the effectiveness of the interventions seems to depend on the preoperative severity of symptoms. With a correct indication, effective symptom reduction, improvement in quality of life, and high parent satisfaction can be expected.