Endoscopic Removal of Benign Forehead Tumors: Patient Satisfaction With Decision Making and Scar Outcomes

The endoscopic approach is an alternative treatment to direct excision of benign forehead tumors. Prior publications describe the technique and outcomes. Our study assumes a quality improvement perspective, focusing on patient satisfaction with decision making and scar outcomes. This is a retrospective case series study of adult patients who underwent endoscopic removal of benign forehead tumors at Kaiser Permanente Oakland from 2006 to 2016. Data were collected pertaining to surgical outcomes, patient satisfaction using validated instruments. Thirty adult patients were included. Mean operating time was 60 minutes. Forehead tumors included osteomas and a variety of soft tissue lesions. Transient complications included hypoesthesia, seroma, and frontalis weakness. A recurrence of an epidermal inclusion cyst occurred. Patients reported nearly complete satisfaction with decision making and scar outcomes. Endoscopic removal of benign forehead tumors is a safe and effective treatment. Patient satisfaction with decision making and the scar is excellent. Further studies are needed to compare the endoscopic approach to direct excision. The surgeon should offer the endoscopic approach and appropriate counseling to the patient with a benign forehead tumor.