[Primary cyst and tumor in the sphenoid sinus].

Eight cases of primary mucocele or tumor in the sphenoid sinus treated in our hospital from 1965 to 1988 are reported. Six were male, 2 female. The ages ranged from 18 to 33 years. The course of disease was 20 days to 4 years with an average of 16 months. The common symptoms were headache and serious visual disturbance or involvement of cranial nerves III, IV, V and VI. There were 4 cases of mucocele and 1 case of chondroma, aneurysmal bone cyst, squamous cell carcinoma and chondrosarcoma. All were operated and proven by pathology. The diseases of sphenoid sinus are very difficult to diagnose. In this series, 5 cases had been misdiagnosed. In the early stage, it was often misdiagnosed as retro-bulbar optic neuritis and in the late stage, as malignant tumor of the base of skull or pituitary tumor (4 cases). Sphenoid sinus cyst and benign tumor gave better results. Two patients with malignant tumor died 8 and 9 months of the operation.