title: [Microsurgical treatment of giant pituitary adenomas (reports of 56 cases)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To introduce a microsurgical operative experience with 56 cases of huge pituitary adenomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six cases of huge pituitary adenomas were studied retrospectively. The tumors were classified into four types according to their configuration and extensive direction. The tumors were removed by various approaches, such as transsphenoidal, transsubfrontal, extended transsphenoidal, extended subfrontal extradual and subfrontal-transperitonal method. All patients were treated by 10 types of surgical approaches. The choice of surgical approach and operative care were introduced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total removal was achieved in 29 cases, subtotal in 20, without any severe complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Choosing appropriate approach can improve the rate of total tumor removal and can decrease the mortality and recurrent rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geng
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome