Organ
Pharyngeal tonsil (adenoid)
Adenoid tissue in the roof of the nasopharynx
High-yield
Adenoid is a name for the tissue itself, not only for an enlarged tonsil. Its position links it to nasal airflow and the nearby pharyngotympanic tube openings.
Overview
The pharyngeal tonsil, also called the adenoid, is lymphoid tissue in the nasopharyngeal roof and posterior wall. It is usually prominent in childhood and tends to become smaller with age. Its surface includes respiratory epithelium and specialized lymphoepithelium, rather than a uniform epithelial covering.
Reference facts
- Location
- Roof and posterior wall of the nasopharynx, above the soft palate.
- Parts
- Folded mucosa with underlying lymphoid follicles and glands; surface architecture differs from the deep crypts of palatine tonsils.
- Blood supply
- Several external carotid branches, including ascending pharyngeal and palatine or maxillary contributions.
- Venous/Lymphatic drainage
- Venous blood enters pharyngeal channels; lymph passes through retropharyngeal and other regional nodes toward the deep cervical chain.
- Function
- Exposes local immune cells to material arriving through the nasal airway and supports mucosal immune responses.
Clinical correlation
Enlargement or chronic inflammation can contribute to nasal obstruction, snoring and middle-ear effusion. Conductive hearing loss may follow persistent effusion, but neither obstruction nor ear disease occurs in every child with prominent adenoid tissue.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the pharyngeal tonsil (adenoid) located?
The pharyngeal tonsil (adenoid) lies roof and posterior wall of the nasopharynx, above the soft palate.
What does the pharyngeal tonsil (adenoid) do?
Exposes local immune cells to material arriving through the nasal airway and supports mucosal immune responses.
What are the parts of the pharyngeal tonsil (adenoid)?
Folded mucosa with underlying lymphoid follicles and glands; surface architecture differs from the deep crypts of palatine tonsils.
What is the blood supply of the pharyngeal tonsil (adenoid)?
The pharyngeal tonsil (adenoid) is supplied by the several external carotid branches, including ascending pharyngeal and palatine or maxillary contributions.