Objectives: We aimed to determine the need for revision adenoidectomy following the standard technique of blind curettage with digital palpation.

Methods: Within a district general hospital, we undertook a retrospective study of 3231 children who underwent adenoidectomy between 1996 and 2003, 53 of whom required revision adenoidectomy. The main outcome measure was the number of children needing revision adenoidectomy.

Results: A total of 53 children required a repeated operation for recurrence of symptoms (1.6 per cent); of these, 42 were for treatment of glue ear, five were for nasal symptoms and six were for adenoidal infection.

Conclusion: Adenoidectomy performed without vision may be one of the reasons for recurrence of symptoms. Residual adenoids are acknowledged in the literature as one of the complications of the traditional technique. We highlight the fact that the need for revision adenoidectomy is not uncommon and suggest that we should improve our surgical technique in the UK by visualization of the postnasal space either by a mirror or an endoscope.