Nasopharyngectomy for recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma: aninnovative transnasal approach through a mid-face deglove incision with stereotactic navigation guidance

Traditional approaches to nasopharyngectomy for the treatment of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma carry considerable complications. This paper presents an innovative transnasal approach with stereotactic navigation guidance through a mid-face deglove incision which has been done for 15 patients with minimal morbidity. All patients had resumed their oral diet within a week, and were discharged within 10 days. The intraoral wound had healed within a week. The only complications were a mild degree of saddling of the nasal dorsum in one patient and temporary facial numbness that resolved within six weeks in three. Tumour had been resected with clear margins in 12/15, in the other three being stuck to the carotid artery.