Endoscopic endonasal surgery for pituitary tumors. Results in a series of 121 patients operated at the same center and by the same neurosurgeon.

INTRODUCTION Pituitary adenomas account for approximately 15% of intracranial benign tumors. The neurosurgical results achieved since the endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal (EET) approach was introduced in our center in 2005 are reported here. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective analysis of 121 patients with sellar lesions (58% females, age 55.7 ± 16 years, range 18-82) who underwent EET surgery from February 2005 to January 2012 and were followed up for a mean time of 4.58 years (range 1.08-8.58). RESULTS Six Rathke cleft cysts (3 intra-suprasellar, 1 intrasellar, 2 suprasellar); 114 pituitary adenomas (16 microadenomas, 98 macroadenomas), and 1 case of normal MRI were included. Baseline findings included hormonal changes in 59 patients (48,7%) and visual field changes in 38 patients (31%); in 7 patients (5.8%), clinical presentation was pituitary apoplexy. Complete resection was achieved in 77 patients (63.6%), subtotal resection in 29 (23.9%), and partial resection in 15 (12.3%). In patients with Grade 3 and 4 cavernous sinus invasion, resection was subtotal in 30% (12/39) and complete in 46% (18/39). Hormonal remission was achieved in 16 patients with Cushing disease (84%), 18 patients with prolactinoma (78.2%), and 18 patients with acromegaly (85,7%). There were 12 cases (9%) of cerebrospinal fluid leak, 4 cases of diabetes insipidus, and 3 cases with transient SIADH/hyponatremia. Seven patients developed panhypopituitarism. Postoperative mortality rate was 2.4%. One hundred and three patients (85.3%) were discharged from the hospital less than 48 hours after surgery. CONCLUSION Our results are similar to those reported by renowned pituitary units. Results achieved using an endoscopic approach in pituitary neurosurgery are better than those of microneurosurgery for cavernous sinus invasion.