Abstract
Aim: To study improvement of anterior pituitary function after transsphenoidal and transcranial
surgery of non-functioning (NF) pituitary macro- and microadenomas.
Methods: We retrospectively examined 155 patients with NF adenomas preoperatively and 3 months,
1 year and 2 years postoperatively. 130 patients harboured a macroadenoma, 109 underwent
transsphenoidal (group one), 21 transcranial surgery (group two). 25 patients presented
a microadenoma (transsphenoidal surgery, group three). Endocrine studies included
basal serum levels and dynamic testing of anterior pituitary partial function. Clinical
symptoms and hormone replacement therapy were documented.
Results: Preoperatively, in group one, two and three, somatotropic function was impaired in
85, 90 and 80 %, gonadotropic in 61, 57 and 24 %, corticotropic in 31, 38 and 28 %,
thyreotropic in 32, 38 and 12 % and lactotropic in 22, 38 and 32 % cases, respectively.
Pituitary functions did not improve significantly after transsphenoidal or transcranial
surgery. Presurgically, 63, 62 and 0 % patients complained about visual impairments,
60, 48 and 40 % about headache, 53, 24 and 36 % about fatigue and 28, 33 and 20 %
about disturbance of cycle or potency. After transsphenoidal surgery, impaired vision,
headache and fatigue improved within 3 months; after transcranial surgery, only headache
improved. Preoperatively, pituitary malfunctions were treated adequately. Postsurgically,
more patients received adrenal and thyroid hormone substitution, less patients received
sex hormones than examinations proved necessary.
Conclusion: Anterior pituitary function of NF adenoma patients did not improve significantly
after transsphenoidal or transcranial surgery. After transsphenoidal surgery, most
clinical symptoms normalised within 3 months. In some of the patients, substitution
was not optimally adjusted to hormonal impairments.
Key words
NF pituitary adenomas - transsphenoidal surgery - transcranial surgery - endocrine
outcome - clinical outcome - hormone replacement therapy
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M. D. Maria Wichers-Rother
Universitätsklinikum Bonn
Institut für Klinische Biochemie
Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25
53105 Bonn
Germany
Telefon: + 492282875147
Fax: + 49 22 82 87 57 89
eMail: Maria.Wichers@ukb.uni-bonn.de