NCT06874426

The Impact of Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery on Olfaction

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 154 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 70 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

In this study, the research team will investigate the incidence and etiology of olfactory dysfunction following endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery, by combining clinical assessments with histomolecular analysis.

Detailed description

The incidence of olfactory dysfunction following endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery remains unclear in current research, and the results vary widely. Additionally, the pathophysiology of this postoperative olfactory dysfunction and the impact of this surgery on the trigeminal system has not been investigated to date. In this study, the investigators developed a state-of-the-art clinical pipeline with olfactory and trigeminal assessments, prior to and following endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery. Furthermore, the investigators will collect surgical waste tissue from the posterior septal mucosa, which is removed during this procedure to gain access to the sphenoid sinus and the (para)sellar region. By performing histomolecular analysis, the research group aims to elucidate the pathophysiology of olfactory dysfunction following this surgery.

Conditions

• Meningioma
• Pituitary Disease
• Pituitary Adenoma
• Craniopharyngioma
• Endoscopic Pituitary Surgery
• Olfactory Dysfunction

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery	This intervention will be performed as part of the standard-of-care for patients scheduled for endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery for lesions in the (para)sellar region

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-03-18
• Primary completion: 2028-12-01
• Completion: 2029-09-01
• First posted: 2025-03-13
• Last updated: 2025-04-23

Locations

3 sites across 3 countries: Belgium, Germany, Netherlands