title: Comparison of quality of life after transnasal endoscopic vs open skull base tumor resection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of the open and endoscopic skull base surgery performed by the same team on patients' quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-affiliated medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 78 patients who underwent surgery for removal of skull base neoplasms through an expanded endoscopic (n = 41) or a subcranial (n = 37) approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multidimensional, disease-specific questionnaire with 36 items was used. Six relevant domains of QOL were assessed: role of performance, physical functioning, vitality, pain, specific symptoms, and impact on emotions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant clinical or demographic differences between the 2 study groups (P > .06). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that patients who underwent endoscopic surgery reported significantly better scores in the physical function and impact on emotions domains than the patients who underwent subcranial surgery (P < .04). Analysis of the minimal clinically important difference revealed that these differences were clinically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In certain domains, quality of life after endoscopic skull base surgery appears to be better than that after open approaches.
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Surgery Unit, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizman Street, Tel Aviv, Israel. ziv@baseofskull.org
authors.forename: Avraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abergel
authors.forename: Oren
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cavel
authors.forename: Nevo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Margalit
authors.forename: Dan M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Fliss
authors.forename: Ziv
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gil
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004644:Emotions; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome