Isolated sphenoethmoid recess polyps

Isolated sphenoethmoid recess (SER) polyps are rare. They usually arise from the sphenoid sinus. We report six patients with SER polyps as the only abnormal clinical finding at initial presentation. All cases were investigated with outpatient biopsy and computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Pre-operative histology revealed three cases of inflammatory disease, two cases with inverted papilloma, and one case of an ectopic pituitary adenoma arising from the sphenoid sinus. One of the inflammatory polyps arose directly from the mucosa around the sphenoid ostium. The other five cases involved the sphenoid sinus. Except for the ectopic pituitary adenoma all the polyps were managed by transnasal endoscopic surgery. We emphasize that isolated SER polyps may signify existing sphenoid pathology and a pre-operative biopsy is valuable for planning surgery.