title: Antegrade transsphenoidal vidian neurectomy: short-term surgical outcome analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vidian neurectomy was an option for treating allergic rhinitis in the past but outcomes varied. A modified transsphenoidal approach is proposed to simplify endoscopic vidian neurectomy. The postoperative evaluation of rhinorrhea, sneezing, and recurrence was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 317 patients with refractory allergic rhinitis underwent 414 transsphenoidal vidian neurectomies from September 2006 to December 2010. A rigid nasal endoscope was used through a transsphenoidal approach to reach the vidian canal inside the sphenoid sinus  (type I) or through its anterior opening into the pterygopalatine fossa (type II) and to cut or cauterize the vidian nerve. The surgical outcomes were analyzed for patients with at least 6 months of follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our approach was successful in 90.3% of the 414 vidian  neurectomies. Vidian neurectomy was successful via the type I approach in 27 sides and type II approach in 347 sides. The short-term surgical outcomes of 163 patients who underwent a total of 236 vidian neurectomies with at least 6 months of follow-up were analyzed. Immediate, complete  cessation of sneezing and rhinorrhea occurred uniformly. Three recurrences were detected during the 1-2 years of follow-up. The symptom of dry eye was reported for 172 surgical sides, but only 6 had persistent symptoms for >6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The transsphenoidal  approach in a vidian neurectomy is a simple method that removes the need for sphenopalatine artery ligation and causes less surgical morbidity. However, the possibility of recurrence of this condition in the long term needs further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. wfs19582001@yahoo.com.tw
authors.forename: Wan-Fu
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Shao-Cheng
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Feng-Shiang
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Chia-Hsuan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003391:Cranial Nerves / Q000601:surgery*; D003714:Denervation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D004724:Endoscopy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012912:Sneezing; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome