World premiere: transoral robot-assisted excision for nasopharyngeal ectopic pituitary adenoma
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Updated: Jun 18, 2025
Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
Published on: January 17, 2018
Serena Louerat1,2, Stéphane Hans1,2, Suzanne Laroche3
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Foch Hospital, 40 rue Worth, Suresnes, 92 150, France.
Background:
Pituitary adenoma (PA), though rare, has seen increased incidence with widespread MRI use, enabling incidental diagnosis. Prevalence is approximately 1 case per 1000 in the general population. PAs are benign neoplasms, constituting 10 to 20% of intracranial tumours. Ectopic pituitary adenoma developed outside the sella turcica is exceptional. It may be hormonally active or not. These are called nonfunctional pituitary adenomas.
Methods:
Here is reported a case of a man in his eighties with a nasopharyngeal ectopic pituitary adenoma treated by robot-assisted excision using a combined route. CARE guidelines have been respected.
Results:
A man in his eighties, asymptomatic, underwent an MRI for dizziness, revealing a nasopharyngeal mass. Despite being asymptomatic, nasofibroscopy revealed a reddish oval-shaped tissue mass attached to the roof of the nasopharynx. Biopsy identified a neuroendocrine tumor G1/G2. Imaging showed no local invasion or distant metastases. A multidisciplinary team decided on a robot-assisted surgical excision through the mouth, coupled with nasal endoscopy. The procedure achieved complete excision with clear margins and no adverse event has occurred.
Conclusions:
This unique case involved the successful transoral robot-assisted excision of a nasopharyngeal ectopic pituitary adenoma, highlighting an innovative surgical approach.
