A comparison between collaborative and single surgeon approach in endoscopic endonasal surgery to sphenoid sinus

Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (EETS) requires abundant collaborative work between neurosurgeon and ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeon. In low-volume centers, however, the surgery may be carried out completely and solely by a neurosurgeon. The current study evaluates the differences in both technique and complications in the approach to the sphenoid sinus for endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) performed solely by a single neurosurgeon compared to collaborative effort between neurosurgery and otolaryngology.

The study comprises 50 consecutive patients with intra-sellar pituitary lesions undergoing EETS. Half of the patients were operated completely by single neurosurgeon (group A) and the other half by collaboration between single ENT surgeon, as a primary surgeon during nasal step, and the neurosurgeon (group B). Both groups were assessed intra-operatively as to operative technique, average time of EEA to sphenoid sinus, and presence of endonasal structural difficulties and complications.

A significant difference was recorded between both groups regarding average time of EEA to sphenoid sinus (P < 0.001) and incidence of intraoperative nasal complications (P = 0.006). There was a difference between ENT surgeon and neurosurgeon adopting the same approach to sphenoid sinus. Sphenoid sinus approaches from group B characterized by their short duration (mean 10 vs 22 min) and low incidence of intraoperative endonasal complications (4.8% vs 28%).

Study results emphasized the necessity of collaboration between neurosurgeon and ENT surgeon in endoscopic endonasal approaches, to efficiently deal with intraoperative endonasal difficulties and complications which pose difference for both surgeons performing the same surgical procedure.