[Transsphenoidal surgery in hypersecreting pituitary tumors: endocrine follow-up (author's transl)]

Among 18 patients suffering prolactin adenoma and 16 acromegalic patients, plasma levels of PRL and HGH respectively returned to normal vlues (PRL = 9 +/- 2 ng/ml HGH = 4.2 +/- 0.8 ng/ml) immediately after selective removal of the pituitary adenoma by transsphenoïdal route. In all cases tumoral symptoms were reduced. Menses were recovered 36 +/- 5 days after surgery in all patients with prolactin adenoma. Pregnancy succeeded in nine of these women. Per-operative studies of HGH and PRL plasma variations proved to be of good prognostic value. The evaluation of the pituitary functions was performed before and after surgery. In no case pituitary deficiency occured after treatment. Furthermore the regulation of somatotropic and prolactin functions have been documented by the use of different provocative tests before and after treatment. They allow discussion of the pathogenecity of these hypersecreting tumors.