title: Bone regeneration after sinonasal mucocele marsupialization: What really happens over time?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the necessity of reconstructing the eroded bony boundaries after mucocele marsupialization when the mucoperiosteum has been spared.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of 308 patients treated for a sinonasal mucocele. Of these, 116 showed areas of bone reabsorption in their preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 116 patients showing one or more areas of bone reabsorption who underwent marsupialization of the mucocele, whether using a purely endonasal endoscopic approach or a combined approach, the common factor was that the mucoperiosteum of the paranasal sinus had always been spared and the eroded bone had never been reconstructed. After rigorous selection, 12 adult patients were enrolled to undergo a postoperative CT scan in order to verify what had happened to the eroded bone at least 3 years following the surgical marsupialization of the mucocele.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 66,6% of patients, the postoperative CT scan showed complete self-reconstruction of bone that had previously been eroded by the mucocele. No enophthalmus, meningocele, or other facial deformities were noted in our selection group, despite not having undergone surgical reconstruction of the bone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even taking into account the small number of patients enrolled in the present study, indications are that there is no need to reconstruct the eroded bone, as would appear from our results that sparing the mucoperiosteum is enough to enable the bone to regenerate. Nevertheless, larger scale studies of the subject are merited.
authors: Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Terranova
authors: Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgical, Microsurgical and Medical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors: Apostolos
authors: A
authors: Karligkiotis
authors: Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Digilio
authors: Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Basilico
authors: Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgical, Microsurgical and Medical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Bernardini
authors: Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Pistochini
authors: Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Bignami
authors: Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Castelnuovo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001861:Bone Regeneration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009078:Mucocele / Q000601:surgery*; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: CT scan; Mucocele; bone remodeling; marsupialization; reconstruction; self-regeneration