Limitations and complications of endoscopic surgery for treatment of sinonasal inverted papilloma: a re-assessment after 212 cases

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to define the optimal surgical strategy for sinonasal inverted papilloma in relation to the site of origin and tumor extent. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients affected by inverted papilloma treated by purely endoscopic or combined approaches at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the University of Brescia and Pavia-Varese from November 1991 to December 2007. RESULTS: Two hundred twelve patients were considered eligible for this study. An exclusive endoscopic approach was performed in 198 patients (93.4%); the remaining 14 patients (6.6%) underwent an endoscopic approach combined with an osteoplastic frontal flap. Follow-up ranged from 24 to 192 months (mean, 53.8 months). A single recurrence was observed in 12 patients (5.7%). Twenty complications (9.4%) were observed. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic surgery is the first choice in the treatment of inverted papilloma; only lesions with extensive involvement of frontal sinus and/or supraorbital cell may require a combined approach. A minimum follow-up of 5 years is recommended.