History of surgery for craniopharyngiomas

Craniopharyngiomas, although histologically benign, are usually so intimately associated with the hypothalamus that total extirpation of these tumors was generally followed by death from hypotension and gross endocrine deficiencies. During the first half of the present century, those recording their tribulations include the famous names of Grant, Bailey, Bucy, Peet, Kahn, Olivecrona, Norlen, Sjöqvist, Rougerie and Northfield. Matson and Sweet were the first to achieve major reductions in mortality by giving massive doses of cortisone plus meticulous dissection, which took advantage of the reactive glial envelope which surrounds the great majority of these tumors.