Case Report

ADULT ADENOID HYPERTROPHY AS A CAUSE OF NASAL OBSTRUCTION: CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW

Volume: 9 Number: 1 March 26, 2026

ADULT ADENOID HYPERTROPHY AS A CAUSE OF NASAL OBSTRUCTION: CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Abstract Background: Enlargement of the adenoids is typically seen in childhood and usually regresses after puberty. When it persists or arises later in life, it is unusual and frequently missed as a possible cause of nasal blockage. Objective: To present a series of adult patients with adenoid hypertrophy who primarily complained of nasal obstruction, and to review the available evidence on its occurrence, clinical profile, and management. Methods: Over one year, four adults presenting with chronic nasal obstruction were evaluated at a tertiary ENT centre. Each patient underwent anterior rhinoscopy and diagnostic nasal endoscopy, with imaging reserved for selected cases. Adenoidectomy was performed, and outcomes were documented through clinical follow-up. Results: The patients (2 men, 2 women; mean age 33.7 years) presented with symptoms of nasal obstruction, often accompanied by snoring, postnasal discharge, or ear complaints. Endoscopy confirmed adenoidal tissue in all cases, and imaging excluded sinister pathology. Three underwent endoscopic adenoidectomy, and one underwent conventional curettage. All reported marked improvement, and histology confirmed benign lymphoid tissue in each case. Conclusion: Although rare, adenoid hypertrophy should be considered among the causes of nasal obstruction in adults. Nasal endoscopy is essential for diagnosis, with imaging useful to rule out malignancy. Endoscopic excision is a safe and effective treatment, providing excellent symptom relief. Greater clinical awareness may reduce misdiagnosis and improve management of this overlooked entity.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Ethical Statement

The authors assert that all procedures contributing to this work comply with the ethical standards of the relevant national and institutional guidelines on human experimentation and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients for publication of this case series and accompanying images.

Thanks

Acknowledgement to Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Mullana (Ambala), Haryana, India

References

  1. 1. Khan MA, Nawaz FUH, Hakim A, Khan M. Frequency of adenoid hypertrophy among adult patients with nasal obstruction. J Postgrad Med Inst. 2018;32(3):281–4. PMID: 31536067.
  2. 2. Rout MR, Mohanty D, Vijaylaxmi Y, Bobba K, Metta C. Adenoid hypertrophy in adults: A case series. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2013;65(3):269–74. PMID: 24427580.
  3. 3. Yildirim N, Sahan M, Karslioglu Y. Adenoid hypertrophy in adults: clinical and morphological characteristics. J Int Med Res. 2008;36(1):157–62. PMID: 18304415.
  4. 4. Aksoy F, Yildirim YS, Veyseller B, Demirhan H, Ozturan O. Prevalence of adenoid hypertrophy in adults with nasal obstruction. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2010;267(4):507–11. PMID: 19128578.
  5. 5. Finkelstein Y, Wexler D, Nachmani A, Ophir D. Adult-onset adenoidal hypertrophy: a clinical entity. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1997;106(6):499–503. PMID: 9199538.
  6. 6. Pagella F, Pusateri A, Matti E, Colombo A, Giourgos G, Cavanna C, et al. Endoscopic adenoidectomy: a systematic analysis of outcomes and complications in 1006 patients. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2020;132:109924. PMID: 32275649.
  7. 7. Kothekar A, Vallur S. Adenoid hypertrophy and endoscopic adenoidectomy in adults: our experience. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022;74(Suppl 2):1067–72. PMID: 36588942.
  8. 8. Motamed M, Kalan A. Enlarged adenoid and adenoidectomy in adults: endoscopic approach and histopathological study. J Laryngol Otol. 1998;112(10):935–7. PMID: 10211189.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Otorhinolaryngology

Journal Section

Case Report

Authors

Sagar Chandra This is me
India

Simmi Jindal This is me
India

Harshit Chawla This is me
India

Umang Mor This is me
India

Publication Date

March 26, 2026

Submission Date

December 21, 2025

Acceptance Date

February 23, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 9 Number: 1

APA
Gupta, K., Chandra, S., Jindal, S., Gupta, B., Chauhan, B., Datta, G., Chawla, H., & Mor, U. (2026). ADULT ADENOID HYPERTROPHY AS A CAUSE OF NASAL OBSTRUCTION: CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW. European Journal of Rhinology and Allergy, 9(1), 41-46. https://doi.org/10.65396/ejra.1845125
AMA
1.Gupta K, Chandra S, Jindal S, et al. ADULT ADENOID HYPERTROPHY AS A CAUSE OF NASAL OBSTRUCTION: CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW. Eur J Rhinol Allergy. 2026;9(1):41-46. doi:10.65396/ejra.1845125
Chicago
Gupta, Kirtika, Sagar Chandra, Simmi Jindal, et al. 2026. “ADULT ADENOID HYPERTROPHY AS A CAUSE OF NASAL OBSTRUCTION: CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW”. European Journal of Rhinology and Allergy 9 (1): 41-46. https://doi.org/10.65396/ejra.1845125.
EndNote
Gupta K, Chandra S, Jindal S, Gupta B, Chauhan B, Datta G, Chawla H, Mor U (March 1, 2026) ADULT ADENOID HYPERTROPHY AS A CAUSE OF NASAL OBSTRUCTION: CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW. European Journal of Rhinology and Allergy 9 1 41–46.
IEEE
[1]K. Gupta et al., “ADULT ADENOID HYPERTROPHY AS A CAUSE OF NASAL OBSTRUCTION: CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW”, Eur J Rhinol Allergy, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 41–46, Mar. 2026, doi: 10.65396/ejra.1845125.
ISNAD
Gupta, Kirtika - Chandra, Sagar - Jindal, Simmi - Gupta, Bhupesh - Chauhan, Bhushan - Datta, Ginni - Chawla, Harshit - Mor, Umang. “ADULT ADENOID HYPERTROPHY AS A CAUSE OF NASAL OBSTRUCTION: CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW”. European Journal of Rhinology and Allergy 9/1 (March 1, 2026): 41-46. https://doi.org/10.65396/ejra.1845125.
JAMA
1.Gupta K, Chandra S, Jindal S, Gupta B, Chauhan B, Datta G, Chawla H, Mor U. ADULT ADENOID HYPERTROPHY AS A CAUSE OF NASAL OBSTRUCTION: CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW. Eur J Rhinol Allergy. 2026;9:41–46.
MLA
Gupta, Kirtika, et al. “ADULT ADENOID HYPERTROPHY AS A CAUSE OF NASAL OBSTRUCTION: CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW”. European Journal of Rhinology and Allergy, vol. 9, no. 1, Mar. 2026, pp. 41-46, doi:10.65396/ejra.1845125.
Vancouver
1.Kirtika Gupta, Sagar Chandra, Simmi Jindal, Bhupesh Gupta, Bhushan Chauhan, Ginni Datta, Harshit Chawla, Umang Mor. ADULT ADENOID HYPERTROPHY AS A CAUSE OF NASAL OBSTRUCTION: CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW. Eur J Rhinol Allergy. 2026 Mar. 1;9(1):41-6. doi:10.65396/ejra.1845125

You can find the current version of the Instructions to Authors at: https://www.eurjrhinol.org/en/instructions-to-authors-104

Starting on 2020, all content published in the journal is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) 4.0 International
License which allows third parties to use the content for non-commercial purposes as long as they give credit to the original work. This license
allows for the content to be shared and adapted for non-commercial purposes, promoting the dissemination and use of the research published in
the journal.
The content published before 2020 was licensed under a traditional copyright, but the archive is still available for free access.