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Updated: May 18, 2026
Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
Published on: January 17, 2018
Endoscopic, endonasal, trans-sphenoidal hypophysectomy: retrospective analysis of 171 procedures
1Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, City General Hospital, University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust, Stoke-on-Trent, UK. soniakumar111@googlemail.com
Introduction:
Endoscopic, transnasal management of pituitary gland neoplasms is a widely accepted alternative to the traditional microscopic approach. This study aimed to determine outcomes and complication rates for the largest UK series of endoscopic, trans-sphenoidal hypophysectomies reported to date.
Methods:
We performed a retrospective analysis of 136 primary resections and 35 revision cases performed at a tertiary referral centre.
Results And Analysis:
Total tumour resection was confirmed in over 85 per cent of primary and revision cases, with biochemical remission in 60 per cent. The incidence of complications such as epistaxis, sphenoid sinus problems, endocrine insufficiency, visual disturbance, post-operative haemorrhage, cranial nerve injury and mortality was significantly lower, compared with similar series using the microscopic approach.
Conclusion:
Despite its steep 'learning curve', our series demonstrates that the endoscopic approach not only allows superior anatomical visualisation and therefore facilitates full oncological resection of tumours, but also reduces the incidence of peri-operative complications.
