Audiological Outcome of Classical Adenoidectomy versus Endoscopically-Assisted Adenoidectomy using a Microdebrider

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate audiological outcomes following adenoidectomy by the classical method and by endoscopically-assisted adenoidectomy using a powered instrument (microdebrider).   Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in a tertiary care center. It included 40 patients divided into two equal groups of 20 each. Group-A patients underwent classical adenoidectomy, while Group-B patients were subjected to endoscopically-assisted adenoidectomy using a microdebrider. Hearing outcome was measured by post-operative pure-tone audiometry and tympanometry.   Results: The post-operative average air-bone gap (ABG) was reduced from 19.6 dB to 11.8 dB in Group A and from 17.6 dB to 8.7 dB in Group B (P=0.010). There was reversal of tympanometric curves from type-B and type-C to type-A in 55% of the patients in Group A, while type-A curve was seen in 90% cases in Group B in the post-operative period.   Conclusion:  Audiological outcomes of endoscopically-assisted adenoidectomy using a microdebrider were superior compared with classical adenoidectomy.