Quality of life in extended endonasal approaches for skull base tumours

Objective: To assess the quality of life (QOL) impact of extended endonasal approaches and nasoseptal flap reconstruction for benign skull base tumours Methods: A random sample of 110 patients undergoing either limited endonasal transphenoidal hypophysectomy or extended endonasal approaches (trans-cribriform, trans-sellar, trans-tuberculum, trans-pterygoid) for the removal of benign skull base tumours were asked to complete Rhinosinusitis Outcome Measure (RSOM-31) questionnaire. Results: A total of 91 patients returned the completed questionnaire. All patients in the limited approach group had pituitary adenomas, while patients in the extended group had a variety of tumours including adenomas with suprasellar or cavernous extension, chordomas, meningiomas, craniopharyngiomas and dermoids. Median time to completion of questionnaire was 1104 days in the limited group and 142 days in the extended approaches group. Although smell and headache were significantly worse in the group undergcing reconstruction with Haddad flap, there was no significant difference in overall, nasal, general, emotional or sleep quality of life between the two groups. Both smell and headache showed significant improvement with time. In linear regression, the single most important factor independently associated with overall worse RSOM-31 total scores was the presence of secreting adenomas. Conclusion: The use of nasoseptal flap appears to have a limited negative impact in nasal quality of life, mainly related to headache and reduced smell, both of which tend to improve with time. Hormone-secreting tumours have the most important adverse effect in quality of life extending in general, emotional, sleep and overall wellbeing, as reflected in RSOM 31 subscales.