Endoscopic endonasal surgery for resection of benign sinonasal tumors: experience with 105 patients.

BACKGROUND: The use of endoscopic surgery for nasal and sinus pathologies has revolutionized our approaches towards the diseases of these areas.

OBJECTIVE: To report our experience with endoscopic surgery of benign tumors and tumor-like conditions of the nose and paranasal sinuses.

METHODS: The medical records of 105 patients with benign sinonasal tumor, who had undergone endoscopic surgery for removal of their neoplasm between 1997 and 2003, were retrospectively studied.

RESULTS: The studied patients included 32 with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma, 24 with inverted papilloma, 23 with benign fibroosseous lesions, 18 with pyogenic granuloma, 6 with intranasal hemangioma, and 2 with pleomorphic adenoma. The patients had a follow-up ranging from 9 to 73 (mean: 41) months. During the follow-up period, the patients were under close observation by performing serial endoscopy and yearly CT scan. Eight cases of recurrent tumor--2 angiofibroma, 4 inverted papilloma, 1 fibrous dysplasia, and 1 osteoma--were noted and managed endoscopically alone or in combination with Caldwell-Luc approach. The major complication encountered in this study was cerebrospinal fluid leakage (2 cases) that was sealed intra-operatively with local tissue flaps without any further sequela.

CONCLUSION: Endoscopic surgery is a valuable tool for removal of benign tumors of the nose and paranasal sinuses in the hands of an experienced surgeon.