title: Endoscopic endonasal infrasellar approach to the sellar and suprasellar regions: technical note.
abstract: We report a technical variation of the endoscopic endonasal approach to the sellar and suprasellar regions which relies on the use of a 45-degree angled endoscope. The so-called "infrasellar approach" aims at excising lesions situated within the intermediate and posterior lobes of the pituitary gland without damaging the anterior lobe, thus potentially minimizing endocrinological morbidity. In this regard the endoscopic infrasellar approach might be advantageous in selected cases when compared with the traditional transsphenoidal approach with the microscope. We describe the technique and illustrate it with representative clinical cases.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paluzzi
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Miranda
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pinheiro-Neto
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alcocer-Barradas
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lopez-Alvarez
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Snyderman