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OBJECTIVE	Conventional total uncinectomy may be unnecessary in localized maxillary sinus lesion .
OBJECTIVE	Partial removal of the uncinate process and middle meatal antrostomy would be sufficient to eradicate the pathological condition .
OBJECTIVE	Therefore , we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of partial uncinectomy versus total removal of the uncinate process in patients with localized maxillary sinus disease .
METHODS	In total , 25 patients were assigned randomly to partial and total uncinectomy groups .
METHODS	Preoperative computed tomography established that all patients had localized pathology in the maxillary sinus .
METHODS	The lower half of the uncinate process was removed in the partial uncinectomy group , while the total uncinectomy group underwent the conventional surgery .
METHODS	Time required for the uncinectomy , healing period for the uncinectomy site , incidence of lamina papyracea or nasolacrimal duct injury , obstruction or stenosis of the frontal recess , and incidence of synechia formation in the middle meatus were compared between the groups .
RESULTS	All patients completed the follow-up and were included in the analysis .
RESULTS	Surgical indications included chronic maxillary sinusitis , fungal sinusitis , antrochoanal polyp , and odontogenic sinusitis .
RESULTS	Operation durations and healing periods were significantly shorter in the partial uncinectomy group .
RESULTS	One patient had a minor injury to the lamina papyracea and two patients showed partial synechia formations in the total uncinectomy group .
RESULTS	However , other parameters did not differ significantly between the groups .
CONCLUSIONS	Partial uncinectomy may be useful in patients with pathological conditions confined to the maxillary sinus .
CONCLUSIONS	Shorter operation duration , more rapid healing , and lower incidence of complications are advantages over a conventional total uncinectomy .

