Neuro-rhinosurgical treatment of aesthesioneuroblastoma.

The results of a combined neuro-rhinosurgical procedure in eight cases of aesthesioneuroblastoma are presented. All patients were suffering from tumours in the advanced stage (stage C according to Kadish). Diagnosis was established by the clinical history, neuro-radiological imaging and by endoscopic endonasal biopsy. Contrary to most reports in the literature the authors performed a one step operative removal of the whole tumour mass by a combined transcranial-transbasal approach alone. A second transfacial operation was unnecessary in all our cases. To the best of our knowledge only Loew (see Jakumeit 1971) already in the 1960ties used a comparable one step transcranial approach for tumour removal. The long-term survival rate in our patients is 50%, a result comparable to reported series in the literature. Mortality is due to early recurrences and metastases within a few months after the initial treatment including post-operative irradiation. Four patients are living without evidence of tumour recurrence 1.5 to 5 years after treatment. The authors surgical technique is presented in detail and compared with the results of other treatment modalities.