Sellar repair in endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery: results of 170 cases.
OBJECTIVE
To describe techniques and materials used in sellar repair after an endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach.


METHODS
Different techniques of sellar closure and indications for each specific condition are reviewed in a series of 170 consecutive patients.


RESULTS
Only 47 (27.6%) of 170 patients were considered candidates for sellar reconstruction after the endoscopic operation, mainly because of intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks (14.1%). The overall rate of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage was 2.3%, which was cured by means of an early reoperation in three cases and with lumbar drainage in the fourth case.


CONCLUSIONS
Reconstruction of the sella was considered necessary in only one-third of the patients who underwent operations via an endoscopic transsphenoidal procedure. Some minor expedients can be useful for the reconstruction, and the ideal material for the repair should be chosen.
Cappabianca
Paolo
P
Department of Neurological Sciences, Division of Neurosurgery, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy.
Cavallo
Luigi Maria
LM
Esposito
Felice
F
Valente
Vinicio
V
De Divitiis
Enrico
E
D000236:Adenoma / Q000601:surgery; D002558:Cerebrospinal Fluid Otorrhea / Q000601:surgery*; D002559:Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea / Q000601:surgery*; D004322:Drainage; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012658:Sella Turcica / Q000601:surgery*; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus