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Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
07:43

Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas

Published on: January 17, 2018

Pituitary microadenomas in children: a cause of growth failure

G Maira, C Di Rocco, P Borrelli

    Journal of Microsurgery
    |January 1, 1980
    PubMed

    Insights

    Pituitary microadenomas in children can cause growth failure and growth hormone deficiency. Surgical removal of these tumors led to normal growth resumption in all studied patients.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Endocrinology
    • Neurosurgery
    • Diagnostic Imaging

    Background:

    • Prepubertal idiopathic growth failure is a clinical challenge.
    • Growth hormone deficiency can manifest as significant growth impairment.
    • Pituitary microadenomas are rare causes of growth failure in children.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the role of pituitary microadenomas in prepubertal growth failure.
    • To evaluate diagnostic methods for identifying these microadenomas.
    • To assess the efficacy of surgical intervention for tumor removal and growth restoration.

    Main Methods:

    • Case series of six children presenting with growth failure.
    • Laboratory evaluation for growth hormone deficiency.
    • Radiological assessment including skull X-rays, tomography, and CT scanning.
    • Surgical tumor resection via a transsphenoidal approach.

    Main Results:

    • All six patients exhibited growth failure (≤2 cm/yr) and confirmed growth hormone deficiency.
    • Standard radiography and tomography did not reveal significant sella turcica abnormalities.
    • CT scanning successfully identified pituitary microadenomas as nodular areas of increased density.
    • All patients experienced resumption of normal growth post-surgery.

    Conclusions:

    • Pituitary microadenomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of prepubertal growth failure.
    • CT scanning is crucial for diagnosing microadenomas not evident on conventional imaging.
    • Transsphenoidal surgical resection is an effective treatment for restoring growth in affected children.

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