Following a century of evolution and refinements in standard surgical techniques, the vast majority of operations for pituitary adenoma to date are performed utilizing transsphenoidal approaches. From current large series one obtains the impression that certainly less than 10% of these tumors require craniotomies. However, still several tumors, which's volume is mainly localized outside of the sella require transcranial approaches, of which the pterional and subfrontal routes are the most widely used. The goal of surgical treatment is rapid eradication of the tumor mass, decompression of visual pathways and elimination of hormonal oversecretion whilst preserving the normal gland and avoiding potential surgical complications. Even with microsurgical techniques and standardized approaches, there is still some mortality associated with transcranial approaches and morbidity is undoubtly higher than with transsphenoidal operations. However, a selection bias must be considered, which shifts tumors with a larger size, less favourable prognosis and higher complication rate into the transcranial series. Moreover, with extended transsphenoidal approaches, lesions have become accessible for transsphenoidal surgery, which previously have been considered as contraindications. In this article current indications and limitations for transcranial surgery of pituitary adenomas, the preoperative workup, surgical techniques, results, and complications are briefly reviewed.
Initial placement of hollow screws under local anaesthesia is a safe and sufficient treatment in most cases, and should be favoured as first-line treatment in patients with cSDH, since these patients are often of older age and present with distinct comorbidity.
The results of transsphenoidal surgery as initial therapy for GH-secreting pituitary adenomas in 57 acromegalic patients were analyzed retrospectively. Patients with prior surgery or radiation therapy were excluded from the study. Three different criteria were used to define remission: glucose-suppressed (nadir) GH less than 1.0 microg/liter, a normal sex- and age-adjusted IGF-I level, and postoperative random GH levels of 2.5 microg/liter or less. Additionally, we analyzed the neuropathological data, including immunohistochemistry and ultrastructural categorization, and the surgical complications. The short-term remission rate (6-wk postoperative follow-up visit), as determined by a random GH measurement of 2.5 microg/liter or less, was 48.8%; the remission rate, as determined by nadir GH, was 51.4%. For 57 patients followed for 12 months or more after surgery (mean, 37.7 months), surgical remission was achieved in 70.2%, 66.7%, and 61.1%, respectively, for patients assessed by normal IGF-I, random GH, and nadir GH. One patient (1.1%) developed recurrence of active acromegaly 81 months after initially successful surgical therapy. Extrasellar growth of the tumor (P = 0.04) and dural invasion by the adenoma (P = 0.008) were significant univariate predictors of a poor outcome. Tumor size was significantly greater in patients with persistent or recurrent acromegaly (P = 0.02). Patients with tumors of the ultrastructural categories of mixed GH/PRL cell and mammosomatotroph adenomas had the lowest remission rates (50% and 42.9%, respectively). There were no perioperative deaths, and there was no serious morbidity. The permanent complication rate was 3.3% (1 permanent DI and 2 nasal septal perforations). Surgical management of acromegaly currently provides prompt, effective, and satisfactory initial treatment for the majority of patients. Using stringent criteria for remission, primary transsphenoidal surgery for GH-secreting pituitary adenomas is effective and often definitive therapy for acromegaly. These results provide a benchmark for the contemporary results of surgical management as assessed by modern outcome criteria.
Pituitary surgery alone was more effective than primary medical treatment (p = 0.006), and the combination of surgery followed by medical therapy was even more effective (p < 0.0001). Subjects treated with medical therapy after surgical debulking had a significant improvement in response rate compared to matched subjects treated with primary medical therapy.
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