Abstract
Background/Objective Our institution previously showed that patients experience significant postoperative
sinonasal symptoms for the first few months after endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal
skull base surgery (eTNTS). Since our initial study we have modified our technique,
discontinuing routine resection of the middle turbinate, maxillary antrostomies, and
nasoseptal flaps. In this study, we analyze whether these technical modifications
decrease postoperative sinonasal morbidity after eTNTS.
Methods A retrospective review was performed of 93 consecutive patients who underwent eTNTS
at a tertiary academic medical center from August 2011 to August 2012.
Main Outcome Measures Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT)-20 and SNOT-22 scores preoperatively and after surgery.
Results Compared with our previous study, our new cohort experienced a significant improvement
(p < 0.05) in SNOT scores for the need to blow nose, runny nose, postnasal discharge,
thick nasal discharge, wake up at night, reduced concentration, and frustrated/restless/irritable.
Within the new cohort, patients who did not have a nasoseptal flap or middle turbinate
resection had less worsening and faster improvement of nasal symptom scores after
surgery.
Conclusions Preserving normal sinonasal physiology during eTNTS by limiting middle turbinate
resections, avoiding unnecessary maxillary antrostomies, and reducing the use of nasoseptal
flaps when feasible results in less sinonasal morbidity and more rapid recovery during
the postoperative period.
Keywords
skull base - endonasal surgical approach - endoscopic surgery - nasoseptal flap