Expanded Endonasal Endoscopic Surgery in Suprasellar Craniopharyngiomas: A Retrospective Analysis of 43 Surgeries...

The role of expanded endonasal endoscopic surgery for primary and recurrent craniopharyngioma is not yet fully established.

To report and evaluate our experience with the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for the resection of primary and recurrent craniopharyngiomas.

This is a retrospective cohort analysis of 43 consecutive EEA procedures in 40 patients operated from September 2006 to February 2012 for suprasellar craniopharyngiomas. In 21 patients (48.8%) the disease was recurrent. We have assessed the surgical results, visual, endocrinological, and functional outcomes and resection rates in this patient cohort.

At presentation, 31 (72.1%) patients had visual deficits, 15 patients (34.9%) complained of headaches, 25 patients (58.1%) had anterior pituitary insufficiency, and 14 (32.5%) had diabetes insipidus. Total resection was achieved in 44.2% surgeries, of which 77.3% were in primary lesions and 9.5% in recurrent lesions (P < .001). Vision improved in 92.6% patients and worsened in 2.3%. Complications other than vision were encountered in 25.6% including 9/43 cerebrospinal fluid leak, 2/43 meningitis. A total of 51.9% of patients with preoperative residual anterior pituitary function had new anterior pituitary deficiencies and 42.8% had new diabetes insipidus. There was no mortality. Six patients (14%) had recurrence of disease during the follow-up period (mean 56.8 mo), 5 of which required repeat surgery.

The EEA can be integrated in the overall management of both primary and recurrent craniopharyngiomas with good results; however, in our series recurrent surgery was associated with significantly lower rates of gross total resection.