The evolution of management for inverted papilloma: an analysis of 200 cases

To assess the evolution of management within one institution with the largest case series and longest clinical follow-up of IP to date in the literature and to compare this management with what has been recently presented in publication.

A case series was performed assessing sex, age, presenting symptoms, origin of lesion, staging, primary versus recurrence, radiographic findings, method of treatment, rate of recurrence, and associated malignancy.

Two hundred patients (average age, 57) underwent endoscopic or endoscopic-assisted resection of IP. The mean follow-up was 4.3 years (range, 9 months-19 years). Eighty percent of cases over the last decade had prior surgery before presentation. Sixty-three percent were Krouse stage T3, and 25 percent were T4. Combined approaches were used for 57 percent of the most recent 40 cases, including Caldwell-Luc, lateral rhinotomy, medial maxillectomy, trephine, or osteoplastic flap.

Inverted papilloma can be addressed endoscopically when possible, with data from this study and the current literature suggesting this is feasible in 43 percent to 66 percent of cases. This decision should be made for each individual case, and variables that will likely affect the decision to use adjuvant external approaches include significant scarring and anatomic distortion from previous surgery, high Krouse stage, and associated malignancy.