ENT surgeries on children are an important part of the particular field. Those surgeries can be performed on children, newborns and even infants. These young patients are a sensitive part of the population, therefore it is important to treat them with caution and increased care. A qualified otolaryngologist is able to offer services and procedures to diagnose and treat ear, nose, and throat problems in infants, children, and adolescents. These congenital and acquired disorders range from common problems including ear, tonsil and sinus infections to more complex problems such as hearing loss and tumors.
ENT surgeries on children: Specificities
ENT surgeries on children are important to be performed with careful handling and special tools suitable for the small size of the anatomical structures that are examined. Children manifest almost the same conditions as adults, however the process of diagnosing and treating any condition during childhood presents significant differences compared to the therapeutic approach in an adult. This happens as the treatment of otolaryngological diseases during childhood is characterized by an increased level of specificity and difficulty, which is linked to the needs of the child’s organism, the small size of the anatomical structures examined and the difficulty of cooperation of the child, especially if he is quite young.
ENT surgeries on children and newborns are performed using minimally invasive endoscopic surgical techniques, so that each procedure is bloodless, quick and safe. The operations carried out concern the area of the paranasal sinuses, the nasal cavity, the airways and the ears, using the most advanced techniques and the most modern technological tools. At the same time, the use of the microscope provides increased accuracy in the diagnosis of many diseases as well as in the control of hard-to-reach areas.
ENT surgeries in childhood: Tonsillectomy
One of the most common ENT surgeries on children is tonsillectomy, that is, the removal of tonsils in case of chronic or recurrent inflammation. The use of the newest techniques combined with the use of a special radio frequency tool makes this operation completely bloodless and safe, minimizing post-operative pain.
ENT surgeries in childhood: Adenoid removal
The adenoid removal or adenotomy is another frequent operation of pediatric otorhinolaryngology. The hypertrophy of the adenoids partially or completely blocks the airway, causing difficulty breathing through the nose, orthodontic problems, snoring and episodes of sleep apnea and the appearance of diseases such as acute or chronic otitis. Adenotomy significantly improves the quality of life of the young patient, which can be performed with the classic technique or with the bloodless method of coblation. Surgery to remove both tonsils and adenoids is performed after the age of 4 under general anesthesia, with complete safety.
ENT surgeries on children: Tympanotomy, Lip – Tongue Frenectomy & Otoplasty
One of the most common ENT surgeries on children that ENT Surgeon in Athens Dr. Olga Papadopoulou performs is tympanotomy and placement of ventilation tubes in the ears to treat secretory otitis. The procedure of frenectomy is indicated in the case of a short lip frenulum, which causes orthodontic problems and makes feeding difficult especially for an infant, while tongue frenulum causes problems with speech and articulation. During tongue frenectomy, an excision is performed and then the frenum is cut and released. Finally, otoplasty can be used to correct protruding ears, while cysts such as thyroglossal duct cyst and branchial cyst are treated with radical ablation.