Transsphenoidal decompression of the sellar floor for cavernous sinus meningiomas: experience with 21 patients

The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of cranial nerve and endocrine function after transsphenoidal decompression for symptomatic cavernous sinus (CS) meningioma.

Between 1991 and 2007, 21 patients (19 women and 2 men; mean age, 51.1 +/- 10.6 years) harboring symptomatic CS meningiomas underwent transsphenoidal decompression. Sufficient bone removal, opening of the inferomedial wall of the CS, and tumor debulking were performed.

Notably, the grading of preoperative optomotoric paresis improved in 15 of the 17 patients who presented with that symptom. Complete recovery could be achieved in 8 patients. Complete recovery rates in patients with preoperative grading of "good," "fair," and "poor" were 77.7%, 20%, and 0%, respectively (P = 0.0088). Improvement of cranial nerve dysfunction was found in 32 of 34 deficits. No worsening of cranial nerve function occurred. Endocrinologically, the prolactin level was normalized in 13 of the 17 patients with preoperative hyperprolactinemia. Recovery of growth hormone deficiency and hypogonadism were found in 3 patients (37.5%) and 1 patient (33.3%), respectively. Seventeen patients were followed for more than 3 years. Of these 17 patients, 12 patients received initial postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy. The overall tumor control rate after surgery with initial adjuvant radiotherapy was 100% (median follow-up, 65 months; range, 36-126 months).

Transsphenoidal decompression is a safe and effective treatment to improve cranial nerve and endocrine dysfunction in patients with symptomatic CS meningiomas. The less severe optomotoric nerve palsy before surgery, the better the chance of complete recovery of its function. Combined with adjuvant radiotherapy, this minimally invasive management also provided excellent long-term tumor control.