Isolated Inverted Papilloma of the Sphenoid Sinus Presenting as Ptosis

Inverted papilloma is a rare form of a benign sinonasal tumor characterized by a potentially invasive nature. The lateral nasal wall represents the most common site of origin. In contrast, involvement of sphenoid sinus is exceedingly rare. The present study describes a case of a 52-years-old patient with an inverted papilloma which originated from the sphenoid sinus. The patient complained mainly of headache, ptosis and diplopia. Radiologic study revealed that the sphenoid sinus was completely occupied by the tumor. Additionally, the ethmoid sinus, cavernous sinus and intracranial fossa have been invaded by the tumor. Endoscopic sinus surgery and postoperative radiotherapy were performed. Two months after the operation, the patient has not revealed any new symptom. However, a remnant of the inverted papilloma still remains. The clinical presentation of the inverting papillomas confined to the sphenoid sinus is often non-specific and insidious, with ptosis and diplopia being predominant. The rhinologic surgeon has to rule out this condition.