Preservation of nasal turbinates in endoscopic, anterior skull base surgery-yes, we can!

To evaluate the frequency, type and indications of nasal turbinate (NT) resection during endoscopic, anterior skull base surgery and to analyze factors that may have an impact on the need of NT removal.

In this retrospective cohort study, 306 subjects (150 males and 156 females, mean age 55.4 ± 15.3 years) who underwent multidisciplinary, transnasal, endoscopic tumor surgery of the anterior skull base using 4-handed techniques between 2011 and 2019 at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Graz, were included.

In the majority of interventions (n = 281/306; 91.8%), all NT were preserved. Significant factors influencing the need of NT resections turned out to be type of endoscopic approach (p < 0.001; V = 0.304), sagittal (p = 0.003; d = 0.481) and transversal (p = 0.017; d = 0.533) tumor diameter, tumor type (p < 0.001; V = 0.355) and tumor location (p < 0.001; V = 0.324).

NT can be preserved in the majority of patients undergoing tumor resection in anterior, transnasal, skullbase surgery and routine resection of NT should be avoided. Variables that have an impact on the need of NT resections are types of endoscopic approaches, sagittal and transversal tumor extension and tumor type. These factors should be considered in planning of surgery and preoperative information of patients.