title: [Microsurgical treatment of craniopharyngiomas: approaches in a series of 169 consecutive patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the clinical features, surgical approaches and postoperative outcomes of craniopharyngiomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  A series of 169 consecutive cases of craniopharyngiomas undergoing microsurgical resection via various approaches at our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 102 males and 67 females with a mean age of 34.1 (3-74) years. The operations were performed via unilateral subfrontal (n = 11), frontopterional (n = 69), anterior interhemispheric (n = 57), transcallosal (n = 9), transsphenoidal (n = 14), transcortical (n = 2), transventricular-foramen with neuroendoscope (n = 5) and combined (n = 2). Postoperative measures included the managements of blood sodium disorder and diabetes insipidus. During follow-ups, they were monitored for residual or recurrent tumor by postoperative contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every 1-3 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The removals of lesions were total (n = 124, 73.4%), subtotal (n = 32, 18.9%) and partial (n = 13, 7.7%). And 104 cases had an intact preservation of pituitary stalk and stalk was partially preserved in 21 patients. Visual improvement (n = 49) and deterioration (n = 21) were achieved. The major postoperative complications included diabetes insipidus (n = 101) and electrolyte disorder (n = 89). And 26 patients had recurrence during a follow-up period of 26.1 (3-66) months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Selection of appropriate approaches according to morphological characteristics is essential for successful microsurgery of craniopharyngiomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Jinli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Shiyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Yanyang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Xiaolei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China; Email: xinguang_yu@263.net.
authors.forename: Xinguang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003287:Contrast Media; D003397:Craniopharyngioma; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media