[The age-specific features of the pharyngeal tonsil in the adult subjects].

The authors studied the age-related features of the vascular organization of the adenoid tissue. A total of 46 subjects (n=46) were examined; they were divided into two groups one of which included subjects at the age from 7 to 12 years (n=25) whereas the other group was comprised of 21 subjects at the age from 18 to 42 years (n=21). 29 participants of the study were men (63%) and 17 (37%) women. The histological examination of the adenoid tissue revealed the characteristic changes in the adenoid vasculature in the subjects of either age-group. The subjects above 18 years of age were shown to have developed sclerosis and hyalinosis of the vascular walls with the formation of cavernously dilated plethoric veins having the thickened rigid walls. The morphological changes in the connective tissue (basal) layer were documented responsible for the manifestation of the phenomenon of 'immersion' of the lymphoid tissue with the well developed microcirculatory bed. It is concluded that the results of the histological examination can serve as one of the indicators for the use of electrophysical methods to perform adenotomy in the patients older than 18 years.