Intrasellar pressure and tumor volume in pituitary tumor: relation study

To determine if there was a relationship between intrassellar pressure (ISP) and pituitary tumor volume.

Between August 2002 and May 2004, 60 patients aged between 13 and 75 years old (39 males), having a pituitary adenoma were submitted to an endoscope transseptal approach. During the surgery and before tumor resection, 2 mm of the sellas floor were removed and a 1.5 mm dural opening made to place a transducer into the pituitary adenoma. The transducer was connected to a pressure monitor.

The intrasellar pressure, ranged from 2-51 mmHg and was measured based on the classification of Hardy-Vezina. The most elevated was in the type II macro adenomas with 32.6 mmHg, sharply superior to the value of a normal intracranial pressure.

These values showed that the macroadenomas confined to the sella, without destruction of the floor and integrity of the diaphragm, type II of Hardy-Vezina, presented a value of ISP much higher than intra-extrasellar macroadenoma's.