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Updated: May 31, 2026
Role of Diffusion MRI Tractography in Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery
Published on: July 5, 2021
Craniofacial resection for malignant tumors of the paranasal sinuses
S Albu1, I St Florian, I Szabo
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, CF Hospital, University of Medicine and Pharmacy I. Hatieganu, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. silviualbu63@gmail.com
Objective:
To review the experience with craniofacial resection for malignant tumors of the anterior skull base and analyze prognostic factors for survival.
Material And Methods:
Between 1996 and 2008, 64 consecutive patients with malignant tumors of the anterior skull base underwent craniofacial resection. Different parameters were analyzed to study their relationship with survival: age, sex, pathology, orbital involvement, dural involvement, status of the surgical margins, adjuvant radiotherapy, and whether the treatment was done before or after surgery. Survival analysis was carried out with the Kaplan-Meier product limit method and comparison between groups was performed by the log-rank test. Factors identified in the univariate analysis were then entered in the multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model in order to identify predictive factors of survival.
Results:
For the entire group survival rates were 47% at 5 years. The highest survival was observed in patients with estesioneuroblastoma and the lowest in melanoma cases. Dural involvement and orbital clearance are predictors of poor survival.
Conclusion:
The improved survival and minimal morbidity associated with craniofacial resection make it the approach of choice for anterior skull base tumors.
