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Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
Published on: January 17, 2018
[Treatment of clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas]
Carmen Alameda Hernando1, Marcos Lahera Vargas, César Varela Da Costa
1Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Infanta Sofía, San Sebastián de Los Reyes, Madrid, Spain. carmen.alameda@salud.madrid.org
Abstract:
Clinically nonfunctioning adenomas are the most frequent pituitary macroadenomas in adults. These tumors are characterized by the absence of detectable hormonal hypersecretion and are diagnosed when compression symptoms or hormonal deficiencies occur. The treatment of choice of macroadenomas is surgery, but tumoral resection is often incomplete or the patient develops tumoral recurrence. Medical therapy has been shown to produce modest tumoral reduction in some patients. Postoperative irradiation should be considered in patients with large tumoral remnants or enlargement of remnants during follow-up. Stereotactic radiotherapy has been developed to diminish the long-term complications of radiotherapy. Microadenomas tend to remain small and surveillance alone is recommended. The present article reviews the results of medical, surgical and radiation treatments.
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