Results of transsphenoidal surgery in patients with sellar lesions

We present our experience in transsphenoidal surgery in a series of 220 patients with sellar lesions, who underwent transsphenoidal surgery at our department from November 2003 through February 2007. 93 patients presented with visual disturbance, 47 had hypopituitarism and 78 presented with endocrine disturbance. The most frequently tumor type was nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas followed by growth hormone-secreting adenomas and adrenocorticotrophin adenomas. Three patients suffered from hypophysitis and 25 of primary, non-pituitary-derived sellar neoplasms. Post operatively, all patients with visual defects improved. 50% of patients with macroadenomas presented with no residual tumor and three had to be reoperated for recurrent mass. 89,5% of patients with Cushing disease were cured, as well as 73,7% of patients with acromegaly.