Endoscopic 532-nm KTP laser excision of inverted papilloma of the nose and paranasal sinuses: A series of 9 patients

Over the past 2 decades, the surgical management of inverted papillomas has evolved from extensive radical excision to more conservative surgery. We conducted a study to evaluate the results of our endoscopic approach to tumor excision with the 532-nm potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP-532) laser. Our series included 9 patients with inverted papilloma of the nose and paranasal sinuses who were treated from January 1998 through December 2003 (72 mo). Only 1 patient (11.1%) experienced a recurrence. The recurrence was detected 12 months after initial treatment, and it was successfully managed via the same endoscopic approach; afterward, the patient was still tumor-free at 2.5 years of follow-up. The good results of this endoscopic approach for lesions limited to the nose and paranasal sinuses can be attributed to excellent visualization with the endoscope and to the bloodless dissection achieved with the KTP-532 laser. We emphasize the need for frequent and long-term follow-up of these patients; a thorough endoscopic examination at every visit is extremely important.