A 28 years surgical experience of 398 sinusal mucoceles: how technologies, techniques and experiences have changed their treatment throughout the years.

PURPOSE

Sinonasal mucoceles (SM) are benign, expansive neoformations which require surgical marsupialization to prevent severe complications. The present study reports the larger case history ever published: a 28-years expertise in the surgical management of SM.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on patients surgically treated for SM at the Departments of Otorhinolaryngology of Varese and Pavia, between 1994 and 2022.

RESULTS

398 patients were reported. An endoscopic endonasal marsupialization of SM was performed in 92,5% of cases. 7% of patients underwent a combined approach while 0,5% required an exclusive open surgery. The average follow-up after surgery was 10-60 months. SM overall recurrence was observed in 11,4% of cases.

CONCLUSION

Endonasal endoscopic SM marsupialization is a feasible technique which allows the preservation of the anatomy and physiology avoiding the surgical invasiveness of the external approaches. The well-established surgical expertise in the endonasal endoscopy together with technological improvements widened the indication range of the exclusive endoscopic technique over the traditional open surgery.