Diagnostic strategy and therapeutic management of sinonasal inverted papilloma: our experience with review of literature

Abstract

Background: The sinonasal inverted papilloma is a rare benign tumor, characterized by local aggressiveness, a high rate of recurrence after surgical resection, and the possibility of malignant transformation. The aims of this study are to analyze diagnostic strategy and therapeutic modalities and to evaluate results after surgery. Methods: We report a retrospective study, including patients operated for inverted sinonasal papilloma in our department. Preoperatively, all patients were assessed by CT scan (computed tomography), 9 of them by MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Results: The average age of our patients was 52 years with a male predominance. The most common symptom was unilateral nasal obstruction. The endoscopic appearance was suggestive of inverted papilloma (IP) in 75% of cases. Thirty-two patients underwent an exclusive endonasal endoscopic surgery; one patient was operated with a combined approach. Two patients underwent external approaches. A recurrence was observed in 4 patients (11%). Conclusion: Preoperative investigation for IP is essentially based on MRI, also required in case of recurrence. Histological examination of the entire tumor is crucial to rule out an associated carcinoma. The “all endoscopic” management is not always achievable for these tumors.