SINUS MUCOCELES - IS MARSUPIALIZATION ENOUGH

Traditional teaching in the United States has emphasized the need for complete removal of sinus mucoceles to achieve a cure, In Europe, howe ver, many rhinologic surgeons have been treating sinus mucoceles by dr aining and marsupializing them, We present our experience with the tre atment of 16 patients with sinus mucoceles, This series includes nine frontal, two ethmoid, two sphenoid, one sphenoethmoid, and two maxilla ry sinus mucoceles, All patients were treated transnasally under teles copic control, All mucoceles were marsupialized, and 11 were stented, Intraoperative transillumination as well as intraoperative lateral x r ays (for sphenoethmoid lesions) and anteroposterior x rays (for fronta l mucoceles) were used to ensure complete marsupialization of the lesi on and to confirm proper placement of the stent, There were no complic ations associated with the procedure, Follow-up periods ranged from 8 to 62 months (median, 32 months), No evidence of recurrent mucocele ha s been seen in any of the patients.