title: [Diagnosis and treatment of olfactory cleft diseases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss the diagnosis and treatment of the diseases originated in the olfactory cleft.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight consecutive patients with the diagnosis of olfactory cleft diseases, encountered between December, 2003 and May, 2006, were included in this retrospective study. On the basis of case reports, the related anatomy, diagnosis and treatment of olfactory cleft diseases were discussed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the 8 patients with olfactory cleft diseases, the clinical and pathological diagnosis were as follows: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, inverted papilloma, glioma with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea, pyocyst of the superior turbinate, angiofibrosteoma, neurofibroma and hemangioma. All patients were treated by endoscopic surgery. Postoperative radiotherapy was given to two patients with malignant tumour.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diseases in the olfactory cleft are not uncommon, which are often overlooked. In order to avoid misdiagnosis, (1) it is important to pay attention to this specific anatomic area; (2) the particularity of olfactory cleft diseases should be emphasized, especially in the cases of huge tumors. In that cases, the primary sites of olfactory cleft tumors can not be correctly judged preoperatively by CT scans, which can only be found during endoscopic surgery. For the treatment of olfactory cleft diseases, surgery under endoscope is the treatment of choice. If the tumor is malignant, postoperative radiotherapy should be added.
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100853, China. wangrongguang@yeah.net
authors: Rong-guang
authors: RG
authors: Wang
authors: Qiong
authors: Q
authors: Liu
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Lei
authors: Hong-tian
authors: HT
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000473:pathology*; D009455:Neurofibroma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012903:Smell; D055815:Young Adult