Craniofacial resection for tumors of the nasal, cavity and paranasal sinuses

Background and purpose: Craniofacial resection provides multidirectional ap proaches to remove nasal and paranasal tumors that involve the skull base. The purpose of this study was to determine the survival and local control r ate in patients undergoing craniofacial resection for tumors of the nasal c avity, paranasal sinuses, and adjacent areas. Methods: The medical records of 30 consecutive patients who had undergone c raniofacial resection for tumors of the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, an d adjacent areas were reviewed. The extent of disease, treatment results, c omplications, and prognoses were analyzed. Results: Lesions were malignant in 28 patients and benign in two. Sixteen o f the patients had dural or intradural involvement. There was no surgical m ortality, and the rate of surgical morbidity was 7%. The 2-year survival of the 28 patients with malignancies was 46% and the mean follow-up time was 35 months. Local control was achieved in 53% of patients. Nine of 16 patien ts with dural or intradural invasion had a mean survival time of 17 months. There was no significant difference in the frequency of local control betw een previously treated and untreated patients. Patients who had a clear mar gin showed significantly better local control than those with an involved o r questionable margin. Conclusions: Tumors of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus that involve th e skull base can be effectively treated using craniofacial resection, with a reasonable survival and low complication rate.