Development of minimally invasive surgery for sinonasal malignancy

Abstract

Sinonasal malignancies are rare and histologically heterogeneous. Treatment is complicated by tumor aggressiveness and location near critical anatomic structures (orbita, skull base, etc.). This low incidence and histologic diversity make prospective studies unfeasible, and thus therapeutic guidelines difficult to establish. The gold standard for surgery is a transfacial approach, with craniofacial resection in case of skull-base involvement. However, these techniques are associated with non-negligible perioperative morbidity. In the past two decades, endoscopic surgery has made major progress, extending its indications: initially developed for functional sinus surgery, it is now applied in benign skull-base pathologies (CSF leakage, meningocele, etc.) and, more recently, in sinonasal malignancy. Literature analysis shows a significant decrease in morbidity and improved quality of life associated with endoscopic endonasal surgery, with oncologic safety and efficacy in well-selected cases, although dependent on operator experience. Additional studies with longer follow-up and comparison between histologic subtypes will be needed.

Keywords: Endoscopic surgery; Sinonasal malignancy; Skull-base surgery; Transfacial approach.