title: [Transsphenoidal microsurgical removal of suprasellar extension pituitary adenomas].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To probe the diagnosis, transsphenoidal microsurgical technique and outcomes of patients with suprasellar extension pituitary adenomas (SEPA).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 248 patients suffering from SEPA were diagnosed by CT or MRI scanning in our department. All adenomas had suprasellar extension (extension size: > 10 mm). The tumors were removed via sphenoidal approach under a microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The gross total removal of adenoma was achieved in 196 patients (79.0%), and subtotal removal in 41 patients (16.5%). Partial removal was carried out in the remaining 11 patients (4.4%) with fibrous or dumbbell-shaped adenomas. There were no deaths after surgery. Long-term follow-up observation (median: 3.5 years) in 227 patients revealed good recovery in 176 (77.5%) and late recurrence in 51 (22.5%). Those patients with tumor recurrence underwent reoperation, drug therapy and radiosurgery either alone or in combination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Except for fibrous and dumbbell-shaped ones, microsurgical technique via transsphenoidal approach is a safe and effective way to remove SEPA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Xi-Jing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fei
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007016:Hypophysectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*