¸ñÀû: The advancement of endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs) has
expanded
surgical access to skull base lesions but has also increased the
frequency of skull base defects. Nasoseptal flap (NSF) is widely
used
for repair, and larger defects often require nasal floor
extension to
cover larger defects. While floor extension necessitates
sacrificing
the nasopalatine nerve, potentially causing front tooth numbness,
the
actual incidence and risk factors remain unknown. ¹æ¹ý:This retrospective cohort study analyzed 52 patients who
underwent a
transsphenoidal approach using NSF with floor extension at a
single
center from June 2024 to January 2025. The primary outcomes were
the
incidence and recovery rate of front tooth numbness. Subjective
numbness
was evaluated at postoperative day 1 and at 1, 3, and 5 months
after
surgery. °á°ú:In patients with NSF and floor extension, the mean age was 50.2 (SD =
16.4) years, and 55.8% were male. Tumor pathology included pituitary
adenoma (65.4%), craniopharyngioma (25.0%), and meningioma (3.8%).
Immediate postoperative front tooth numbness occurred in 16 patients
(30.8%). Of these, 12 patients showed complete recovery at 3 months
(recovery rate = 75.0%, 12/16), while 4 patients had persistent
numbness (persistent numbness rate at 3 months = 7.7%, 4/52 of total
cohort). Comparison between patients with front tooth numbness and
those with intact sensation showed no significant differences in sex,
age, intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) grade, tumor pathology,
or surgeon. °á·Ð:Despite complete nasopalatine nerve transection in NSF with floor
extension, most patients showed no immediate numbness or
recovered
within 3 months, suggesting effective compensation through the
contralateral nasopalatine nerve collateral system. As no
specific
risk factors for numbness were identified and the recovery rate
was
favorable, floor extension should not be avoided when necessary,
but
preoperative counseling regarding potential temporary numbness is
recommended. |