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.