A report of 11 cases of pituitary tumor surgery by endoscopic transnasal transsphenoid method

prevalance of endoscopic transnasal, transesphenoid to transcranial method for pituitary tumor. From March 2005 to August 2006, 11 patients with pituitary adenoma were operated on by endoscopic transnasal transsphenoid method carried out by a team of neurosurgeons and otorhinolaryngologists. The characters under study were age, sex, cause of referral, hormonal findings, imaging, visual function and probable complications. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed in all patients by pathology report.11 patients (7 females and 4 males) with mean age of was 40.8 y. The mean time of follow-up was 3 to 12 months. Two female patients had Cushing Syndrome and 3 females had prolactinoma refractory to medical treatment. The other 6 patients had non-functional adenoma. Microadenoma in 2 patients and 9 patients with macroadenoma. In 9 patients, there were visual disturbances before operation. There was no major complication after operation. Only 2 patients had diabetes incipidus and 1 had CSF leakage which was controlled by medical treatment.Endoscopic transnasal transsphenoid surgery is the method of choice to reach to sellar region pathologies. Its benefits consist the easily view of the instruments in their passage, lessening the time of operation and lessening the patients discomfort. Existence of normal anatomy in one side of the nose is sufficient. Postoperative complications are minimal. This method is a safe and effective one and its use is recommended. In comparison with other methods, this method is more effective and has fewer complications and so its use is highly recommended.