2012 Volume 51 Issue 4 Pages 474-480
The objective of this study was to establish a standard surgical procedure for endoscopic endonasal resection of olfactory neuroblastomas for future prospective clinical studies. We retrospectively reviewed 5 patients (4 males, 1 female) who underwent primary endoscopic endonasal resection of olfactory neuroblastomas. Of these, the Dulguerov stage at presentation was T1 in 2 patients (Kadish A and B in 1 each) and T2 (Kadish C) in 3 patients. The endoscopic endonasal surgery involved the resection of the middle and superior turbinates, cribrioform plate, ethmoidal fovea and olfactory fila with the intraoperative histological analyses of the margins. The main parameters compared were margin assessment, prognosis, preservation of olfaction, and complications. In one T2 case, tumor cells were identified in the margins of the olfactory fila, while resection with negative margins was achieved in the other 4 cases. No recurrence was found during observation periods ranging from 12 to 51 months (median: 25 months). Olfaction was maintained in 3 patients. No postoperative complications were identified. These findings indicated that more precise studies of intraoperative margin in the olfactory fila and dura matter are required for T2 patients.
