Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
07:43

Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas

Published on: January 17, 2018

Unusual cause of cerebral vasospasm after pituitary surgery

K A Popugaev1, I A Savin, A U Lubnin

  • 1Neurocritical Care Department, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia. Stan.Popugaev@yahoo.com

Neurological Sciences : Official Journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
|February 4, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Meningitis, not surgical trauma, can cause cerebral vasospasm (CVS) after pituitary surgery. Prompt meningitis treatment is key to resolving CVS and improving patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Neurosurgery
  • Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery can lead to cerebral vasospasm (CVS).
  • Traditionally, CVS is attributed to arterial trauma or blood clots near the Circle of Willis.
  • The role of meningitis as a cause of early postoperative CVS is less understood.

Observation:

  • Two patients developed CVS in the early postoperative period following trans-sphenoidal pituitary adenoma surgery.
  • Meningitis was diagnosed in both patients.
  • CVS resolved only after effective treatment of the meningitis.

Findings:

  • In one case, empiric antibiotics failed; CVS resolved after *Klebsiella pneumoniae* meningitis was identified and treated specifically.
  • In the second case, effective empiric antibiotic therapy led to CVS regression within 12 days.
  • These findings suggest meningitis can be a primary cause of early postoperative CVS after this surgical approach.

Implications:

  • Meningitis should be considered a significant cause of cerebral vasospasm following trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery.
  • Timely and adequate treatment of meningitis can expedite the resolution of CVS.
  • This highlights the importance of vigilant diagnosis and management of infectious complications post-neurosurgery.

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