POSTOPERATIVE VISUAL RECOVERY FOLLOWING SURGICAL TREATMENT OF CRANIOPHARYGIOMAS

Craniopharyngiomas are rare tumors which are typically focused in the sellar and suprasellar region. Secondary to mass effect, these tumors commonly mediate neurologic, endocrinologic or visual functions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pre and postoperative visual acuity in patients with a craniopharyngioma in the area of the optic chiasm.

This retrospective study included 42 patients with a craniopharyngioma demonstrated by computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. The visual status was analyzed both before and after surgery (10 days, one month and six months after surgery).

Progressive loss of visual acuity was a typical initial eye symptom. Postoperatively, improvement in visual acuity was seen in 47.2% of eyes. Normal vision was attained in the majority of eyes (from 27% preoperatively to 40% six months after surgery). The percentage of eyes with heavily reduced visual acuity decreased as well (from 38% preoperatively to 11% six months after surgery). Visual acuity improved at least in one eye in 36.58% of patients, and 28% of patients achieved normal visual acuity in both eyes, six months after surgery. The improvement of 0.5 and better at least in one eye was observed in 33% of patients. The majority of eyes showed immediate improvement after surgical decompression, during first ten postoperative days.

The majority of patients with craniopharyngioma show a significant improvement of visual function, particularly in the first ten postoperative days.