FUNCTIONAL ENDOSCOPIC
SINUS SURGERY- ENDOSCOPIC SKULL BASE SURGERY

When the conservative treatment fails to improve the symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis, Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) can be performed. Its main advantage is the fact that the operation is performed through the nostrils, without the need of external incisions εensuring an excellent aesthetic…

In this section of the site you can find CT scans (computed tomography scans) of patients with nasal polyps, as well as videos about the removal of the polyps and the drainage of the paranasal sinuses with the use of a shaver, post-operative videos and endoscopic post- operative photos of the patients. 

Mucoceles are formed when the drainage of a sinus is disrupted, resulting in the formation of a sac filled with mucous inside the sinus. The inflammation of the mucus leads to the formation of a mucopyocele. If the blockage of the drainage pathway is not lifted, the mucocele grows bigger and can potentially…

Erosion or trauma of the skull base results in cerebrospinal fluid fistulae that can be complicated with meningitis or encephalitis. Common causes of CSF leaks are chronic inflammation of the skull base, trauma (car accidents) or iatrogenic trauma during procedures on the paranasal sinuses and the…

Meningoceles and meningoencephaloceles are formed by the protrusion of the meninges and the brain through a congenital or acquired dehiscence of the skull base inside the nose. They can be complicated with meningitis and encephalitis. Meningoceles/ meningoencephaloceles fall under three categories:…

Osteomas are benign tumors characterized by gradual growth, presenting with headaches, disrupting the mucus drainage from the paranasal sinuses leading to inflammation.  

Rarely osteomas can invade the orbit, resulting in exophthalmos, diplopia and optokinetic dysfunction or the skull base…

Inverted papilloma is a benign tumor that can rarely undergo malignant transformation. Its removal must be complete and thorough in order to prevent recurrences. The endoscopic removal is the method of choice characterized by lower morbidity rates and less complications compared to external approaches.

Juvenile angiofibroma is a benign but locally aggressive tumor with excessive vascularization. It commonly affects young children and adolescent males, causing headache, nasal obstruction and epistaxis. In very advanced cases, the tumor can erode the skull base and extend intracranially.

Prior…

Carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor of nose and the paranasal sinuses. Adequate surgical resection is the treatment of choice in most cases and should take place as close to the diagnosis as possible, whereas locally advanced tumors require a combination of surgical resection and radiation. The tumors can extend intraorbitally and can erode the skull base.

With the use of endoscopes the complete resection of the tumor is feasible, even in cases of locally advanced disease with skull base erosion, without the need of an external approach. The external approaches lead to poor aesthetic results and have failed to demonstrate superiority over the endoscopic approach in terms of survival rate.

Olfactory neuroblastoma is a malignant tumor that is believed to originate from the olfactory epithelium, the olfactory filaments and the olfactory bulb. The treatment requires endoscopic surgical resection often combined with intracranial resection in cases of locally advanced tumors. The endoscopic…

Chordoma is a rare slow-growing malignant tumor that erodes the clivus, the sphenoid sinus and the skull base.  

Sarcomas are malignant tumors of the nose and the paranasal sinuses. They are the most common malignant tumors in childhood. The treatment of choice is complete resection with restoration of the valuable anatomic structures of the nose and the sinuses. Endoscopic resection is an alternative to the…

Defects of the skull base as well as the anterior wall of the frontal sinus are associated with disruption of the normal function as well as aesthetic deformation and are treated surgically. Common causes are chronic inflammation, tumors and prior surgery on these areas.