Neurosurgical management of acromegaly. Results in 82 patients treated between 1972 and 1977.
A consecutive series of 82 acromegalic patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery during a 5-year period is presented. Preoperative and postoperative values for human growth hormone (HGH) were available in 80 cases. Microadenomas were present in 18 patients with a mean preoperative HGH value of 25.2 ng/ml, diffuse adenomas in 39 patients with mean of 53.8 ng/ml, and invasive adenomas in 25 with mean of 68.0 ng/ml. There was no operative mortality. The results reflected the classification of the tumors, with apparent cures accomplished in 87.5% of previously untreated patients with microadenoma, all of whom had anterior pituitary function preserved. The percentages of apparent cures in cases of diffuse adenoma (68%) and invasive adenoma (54%) were much less satisfactory. Transsphenoidal microsurgery is capable of achieving good results, particularly in patients with microadenoma.
D000172:Acromegaly / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000236:Adenoma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D013100:Sphenoid Bone
D013006:Growth Hormone