OBJECTIVE

To investigate the minimally-invasive ablation of osteomas of the ethmoid sinuses endonasally.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was done in 19 patients (15 male, 4 female, aged between 14 - 67, medium 37) diagnosed as osteomas of ethmoid sinuses hospitalized from April 2005 to October 2009. All patients underwent sixteen-detector row computed tomography scan and 3D reconstruction preoperatively. All underwent operation with the help of navigation system and nasal endoscope.

RESULTS

The ethmoid osteoma in all 19 patients was removed successfully with endoscope and navigation system. Two open procedures (1 through superciliary arch incision and 1 through labiogingival incision) were performed to assist the removal of the tumor, 17 tumors were removed under endoscopic and navigation guidance. In 5 patients whose osteoma was localized or with the diameter no more than 2 cm, these osteomas were removed endonasally with the help of navigation system. The osteomas in 2 patients was found to have narrow basilar part and relatively dissociative were removed from oral cavity after abscisin the basilar part. The osteomas in 12 patients were found to have basilar part connected with ante-meso skull base, lamina papyracea, orbital apex, cranialis opticus, fossa orbitalis bone, these osteomas were removed using electric drill with the guidance of navigation system. All patients were followed up from 8 to 64 months, and were asymptomatic (1 patient who suffered from amblyopia had the symptom disappeared, 2 patients suffered from prosopo-eminence, 1 patient was asymptomatic and 1 patient was feeling better). Two patients underwent removal of crista galli, 1 of them suffered from postoperative cerebro-spinal rhinorrhea, and recovered after endoscopic repairing procedure and iodoform gauze packing and recovered 15 days later. Two patients who underwent removal of crista galli suffered from anosmia and never recovered after 9 and 26 months follow-up. One patient with enormous osteoma suffered from repeated crusting and abnormal odor, and recovered after nasal flushing.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic ablation of osteomas of the ethmoid sinuses with the guidance of navigation system is an accurate, secure, minimally-invasive procedure. Osteomas on median line and localized in ethmoid sinus is an indication of this operation. Preoperative CT scan is a safeguard for an accurate operation.