Hypophysis surgery with or without endoscopy

Hardy's operation with microscope has long been the standard method for pituitary adenoma. But a new approach via the nasal cavity using an endoscope has been adopted recently. In this study, the postoperative outcome as well as the preoperative evaluation of endoscopic hypophysectomy and non-endoscopic one were compared at our faculty.

We performed the non-endoscopic transnasal hypophysectomy on 18 patients and the endoscopic transnasal hypophysectomy on thirteen patients who had a pituitary lesions from February 1996 to October 1999. As to these patients the situations from preoperation through postoperation such as chief complaints, serum hormone level, final diagnosis, tumor size, as well as operating time or blood loss during the operation were discussed precisely. Then the merits and demerits of endoscopic hypophysectomy were discussed.

Five PRL-producing adenoma, three GH-producing adenoma, nine non-functioning adenoma, and two ACTH or TSH-producing adenoma were included in this discussion as endoscopic group. The age of non-endoscopic group are from 23 to 73 (49.4 in average), and they include ten males and eight females. On the other hand three PRL-producing adenoma, two GH-producing adenoma, two non-functioning adenoma, and one Rathke's cyst were included in this discussion as endoscopic group. The age of endoscopic group are from 19 to 73 (49.1 in average), and they include seven males and six females. As to non-endopscopic group the blood loss during each operation is 568 ml and operating time is 256 min in average. For endoscopic group the blood loss is 296 ml and operating time is 234 min in average.

By microsurgery in the pituitary operation with endoscopy, the minimal invasive surgery becomes possible by reducing blood loss and shortening operating time. During the operation cooperation between neurosurgeon and ENT surgeon is indispensable in order to perform hypophysectomy smoothly. The development of optical better aids and operation instruments for endonasal hypophysectomy is desired in the future. The navigation system was more useful than X-ray fluoroscopy to obtain the detailed information.