Postoperative anosmia after removal of pituitary gland adenomas using the pterional approach

There have been several studies on anosmia following operations on anterior circulation aneurysms, but no similar study has yet been reported on pituitary gland adenomas which required the transcranial approach. In this study, 38 cases with pituitary gland adenomas, for whom the pterional approach was employed, were observed retrospectively from the point of view of postoperative olfactory nerve function. In the postoperative period only one case complained of impaired sense of smell on the operated side. Eight cases objectively showed olfactory nerve dysfunctions. The olfactory nerve function could be preserved at a relatively high rate of 79 per cent. This high rate, we think, resulted from the microtechnique employed as well as the relatively cautious frontal retraction which was less than 1.5 cm.