Endoscopic transnasal transethmosphenoidal approach for pituitary tumors: assessment of technique and postoperative findings of nasal and paranasal cavities.
OBJECTIVE
Transnasal endoscopic surgery is the most common approach to removal of pituitary tumors. This study evaluated the transnasal transethmosphenoidal approach (TTES) in terms of its operative manipulability and the postoperative status of the paranasal cavities.


METHODS
A total of 132 patients with pituitary tumors underwent surgery by one of the following three approaches: (1) bilateral TTES, in which the surgical procedures were performed via the bilateral paranasal cavities, (2) unilateral TTES, in which the procedures were performed via one side only, and (3) unilateral TTES and resection of the posterior portion in the nasal septum approach (RPS), which is a modification of approach (2) and enables performance of the procedures from both sides.


RESULTS
The degree of freedom for the surgical procedures with each of the approaches decreased in the following order: bilateral TTES, unilateral TTES and RPS, and unilateral TTES. The postoperative CT images and endoscopic findings were good with each of the surgical approaches, but the incidences of olfactory disturbance and nasal dryness were significantly higher with the bilateral TTES compared with the unilateral TTES and RPS and the unilateral TTES.


CONCLUSIONS
The unilateral TTES and RPS was for us most suitable approach of the three methods. In the case of advanced tumors, the bilateral TTES should be selected because it permits superior operative manipulability. Finally, the unilateral TTES is most appropriate for removal of tumors that are deviated to one side and localized within the sella.
Haruna
Shinichi
S
Department of Otolaryngology, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu-machi, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan. haruna@dokkyomed.ac.jp
Otori
Nobuyoshi
N
Moriyama
Hiroshi
H
Kamio
Masami
M
D049913:ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002559:Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea / Q000209:etiology*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed