ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Antrochoanal polyp (ACP) is a benign maxillary sinus polyp that originates from the mucosa of the maxillary sinus, passes through the sinus ostium, and extends into the choana. Surgical methods employed in the treatment of antrochoanal polyp are simple avulsion, Caldwell-Luc operation, osteoplastic maxillary sinus operation, and endonasal endoscopic removal. In this study, we evaluated the clinical presentation of ACP and compared its surgical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 111 patients who were treated for ACP between January 1995 and May 2008, and analyzed clinical features, radiologic findings, and surgical results. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 111 patients (65 males, 46 females) with a mean age of 20.0 years (range, 4 to 70). Sixty-one cases were accompanied by sinusitis (20 with unilateral sinusitis, 41 with bilateral sinusitis). Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) was used to treat 95 cases, and the external approaches of Caldwell-Luc operation or osteoplastic maxillary sinus operation were applied in 12 and four cases, respectively. Among those who received ESS, ACP recurred in 16 cases, whereas none of the patients who received the external approach showed recurrence. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic sinus surgery is a good alternative method for the treatment of ACP. If the antral part of ACP cannot be removed completely, an external approach such as Caldwell-Luc operation or osteoplastic maxillary sinus operation for pediatric patients may be considered to prevent recurrence.