Application of Endoscopic Surgery on Sinonasal and Nasopharyngeal Malignancy

Lee, Chul Hee; Mo, Ji Hun; Kwon, Seong Keun; Lee, Seung Sin; Oh, Seung Jun; Rhee, Chae Seo

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Since the first introduction of nasal endoscope, its use has been widened from chronic sinusitis to a variety of diseases ; endoscopic management for tumors of sinonasal cavity and nasopharynx has increased these days as well. In the present study, we reviewed the treatment results of endoscopically managed sinonasal and nasopharyngeal malignant tumors. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Medical records of six patients with sinonasal or nasopharyngeal malignant tumor who were treated using endoscopic technique were retrospectively reviewed. Patients' ages at diagnosis ranged from 23 to 74 years. RESULTS: In five patients, endoscopic approach was the sole approach technique used. In one patient, the Caldwell-Luc approach together with the endoscopic approach was used because the whole mass couldn't be removed using the endoscopic approach only. Five patients remained disease free. In one patient, the disease recurred at 24 months after treatment, which was also successfully removed with the endoscopic approach. CONCLUSION: In properly selected cases, endoscopic management in sinonasal and nasopharyngeal malignancy can be justified with the following advantages: it showed no aesthetic problems and there were less functional loss compared to the traditional open approach.