Frontal sinus osteomas: the window of endonasal endoscopic approach

Objective. Management of symptomatic osteomas involving the frontal sinus is challenging. Traditional external approaches have been used in the surgical management of these lesions. Recently, endonasal endoscopic surgery has become a valid alternative to the traditional external approach in selected cases. Method of study. Retrospective evaluation of the patients with symptomatic fronto-ethmoidal osteomas surgically managed in the last 10 years at a tertiary care facility. Results: Twenty-six osteomas involving the frontal sinus were treated surgically. In 11 cases a purely endoscopic approach was performed while in 13 patients a combined procedure was used. In two patients, an exclusively external procedure was performed. No osteoma recurrence has been observed yet (mean follow up: 40 +/- 31.75 SD months). Conclusions: Endonasal endoscopic resection of a frontal sinus osteoma is feasible when the lesion is medial to a virtual plane through the lamina papyracea and is attached in the lower portion of the posterior wall of the frontal sinus.