title: Endoscopic endonasal surgery for nonadenomatous sellar/parasellar lesions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This article demonstrates the experience with endoscopic transphenoidal anterior skull base surgery for lesions other than pituitary adenomas. The spectrum of lesions, results, and complications are presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  This series includes patients with 102 lesions other than pituitary adenomas operated upon using the endoscopic approach. The results and complications were reviewed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common lesions treated were Rathke Cleft Cysts (n = 39) and craniopharyngiomas (n = 18) in a total of 82 tumors. There were 8 patients with inflammatory lesions, and the remainder had a variety of unusual pathologies. Complications other than diabetes insipidus (n = 12) were uncommon, with 6 postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The endoscopic anterior skull base approach is highly effective in treating a large variety of lesions other than pituitary adenomas. The adoption of the nasoseptal flap for closure has markedly reduced the incidence of spinal fluid leaks, and is used routinely for lesions that violate the intracranial compartment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery, Brain Tumor Center and Pituitary Disorders Program, John Wayne Cancer Institute, Santa Monica, USA.
authors.forename: Garni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barkhoudarian
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and University of Southern California Pituitary Center, Neuro-Oncology and Endoscopic Pituitary/Skull Base Program, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zada
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Electronic address: elaws@partners.org.
authors.forename: Edward R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Laws
mesh_terms: D016080:Arachnoid Cysts / Q000601:surgery; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000601:surgery*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D019291:Skull Base / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Craniopharyngioma; Endoscopy; Pituitary; Rathke cleft cyst; Transphenoidal surgery