title: Diagnosis and minimally invasive surgery for the pituitary abscess: a review of twenty nine cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to better determine the salient signs and symptoms for diagnosis of a pituitary abscess as well as the determination of the most appropriate treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was performed using clinical presentations, imaging features, diagnosis and treatment of 29 patients with pituitary abscess in our hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We made the correct diagnosis of pituitary abscess before surgery only in 2 cases (13.3%) out of 15 patients between January 2004 and January 2008. While 12 cases (85.7%) out of 14 patients were correctly diagnosed before surgery between January 2008 and June 2010. All of the patients underwent transnasal-transsphenoidal surgery assisted by the microscope or endoscope. The antibiotic therapy and hormonal replacement were routinely administrated. The postoperative courses were uneventful and all symptoms of the patients were gradually improved one week to six months after surgery. None of the 29 cases were recurrent during the follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the increased clinical experience, the correct diagnosis rate of pituitary abscess before surgery has been greatly improved in recent three years. The microsurgical drainage, proper antibiotics and hormonal replacement are the keys to the treatment of pituitary abscess.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, HuaShan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, FuDan University, 12 Wulumuqi Zhong Road, Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoluo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Xuefei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shou
authors.forename: Huijia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Nidan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shiqi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yongfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020790:Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000601:surgery; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010901:Pituitary Function Tests; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010907:Pituitary Hormones