[Long-term results of lateral rhinotomy with medial maxillo-ethmoidectomy]

Functional and cosmetic results in 93 patients were analysed on average at 42 months after lateral rhinotomy and medial maxilloethmoidectomy. The rate of postoperative complications was 11.8%. The final cosmetic result was more than 1 year postoperatively satisfactory or better in 93.1% after osteoclastic and in 97.8% after osteoplastic lateral rhinotomy. 38.7% of the patients suffered from different postoperative complaints. The main problems were endonasal crusting, hypaesthesia in the V2 region, olfactory dysfunction and epiphora. Considering the results neither the rate of complications nor the cosmetic outcome are critical as usually mentioned in the literature. However, the rate of other different problems complained by the patients postoperatively give reason to add alternative oncosurgical procedures like midfacial degloving and endoscopic techniques, to the general operative repertoire of a hospital.