A long-term retrospective study of 300 patients who underwent fully endoscopic endonasal pituitary adenoma resection between November 1998 and October 2004. The patients' records as well as the data obtained from postoperative follow-up visits was used to determine outcomes. Additionally, the data were then compared to mean values calculated from several transseptal-transsphenoidal reports. From a total of 300 pituitary adenomas, 139 (46 %) were hormonally active, while 161 (54 %) were non-functioning. Mean follow-up period was 38.2 months. The average length of hospital stay (LOS) was 1.4 days. All patients had postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies to assess residual or recurrent disease; all patients with hormonally active tumors had additional postoperative hormonal studies. Remission, being defined as no hormonal or radiological evidence of recurrence within the time-frame of the follow-up, was demonstrated in 127/134 (95 %) of enclosed and 144/166 (87 %) of invasive adenomas. A comparison of fully endoscopic endonasal vs. transseptal-transsphenoidal remission results revealed an improved outcome using the fully endoscopic endonasal technique: ACTH (86 % vs. 81 %), PRL (89 % vs. 66 %) and GH (85 % vs. 77 %). The remission rate for non-functioning adenomas was 149/161 (93 %). Additionally, we noted a marked reduction in complications related to the endoscopic procedure. Our results conclude that the fully endoscopic endonasal technique is a safe and effective method for removal of pituitary adenomas providing more complete tumor removal and reducing complications.

Access to tumors of the anterior cranial fossa traditionally has required wide exposure of the surgical field, along with prolonged retraction of the frontal lobes or potentially disfiguring transfacial approaches. These approaches subject patients to undesirable neurologic and cosmetic morbidity. With the introduction of progressively less-invasive approaches, intracranial tumors with craniofacial involvement have become amenable to en bloc resection with a minimum of deleterious consequences. The authors report their experience with a supraorbital endoscopic approach. This technique is suitable for lesions situated in the region of the anterior cranial fossa, the suprasellar, and parasellar regions. The technique was applied to 24 patients. Pathologies treated were meningiomas, craniopharyngiomas, pituitary adenomas with extrasellarextensions, and other variable supratentorial pathologies. The use of endoscopy allowed thorough visualization of all critical structures at the paramedian skull base without the need for a bicoronal scalp flap, bifrontal osteotomies, or brain retraction. Most lesions were resected in their entirety with no perioperative complications and with excellent cosmetic results. These cases demonstrate how the application of endoscopy to surgery of the anterior skull base and craniofacial skeleton can eliminate the need for traditional open techniques without compromising surgical success.

Microvascular decompression (MVD) is a highly accepted and effective method for treatment of patients with trigeminal neuralgia in whom compression of the nerve by a vascular structure is implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease. However, recent reports have highlighted the advantages of the endoscope in visualizing structures within the cerebellopontine angle. Additional research, using the endoscope to supplement the microscopic procedure, has demonstrated improved localization of neurovascular conflicts. In this report we present the results of our series utilizing a fully endoscopic vascular decompression (EVD) technique, and compare these results to those published for microvascular decompression. From September 1999 until October 2004, 255 patients underwent endoscopic vascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve. These patients' records were retrospectively reviewed, and additional data from follow-up visits were collected and analyzed to ascertain success rates and review the incidence of complications. From a total of 255 patients who underwent EVD of the trigeminal nerve we noted an initial, complete, postoperative success rate in 95 % of patients. Initial, being defined as within the first 3 months postoperative, and "complete" being judged if the patient reported 98 % relief of pain postoperatively without the need for medication (Barker's classification). Additionally, we documented a 93 % complete success rate for 118 patients who completed at least a three-year follow-up period. Complication rates were compared to those reported for MVD. There were no serious complications or mortality in this series. We conclude that EVD is a safe and effective method to remove neurovascular conflicts related to the trigeminal nerve. The results of this series demonstrate an improved rate of trigeminal neuralgia relief with EVD when compared to MVD, a lower incidence of complications and a better outcome.

We conclude that almost all patients in this series with Cushing's syndrome have a lesion on dynamic pituitary MRI, a rate much higher than the 50-60% rate reported for non-dynamic MRIs. The false positive rate of 16% in our group of Cushing's excluded patients is similar to the literature value of 10% seen in normal volunteers and is acceptable since MRI is not used solely as a determinant for the diagnosis. While a negative MRI will miss those patients with adrenal or ectopic Cushing's syndrome, those patients can usually be diagnosed by other testing. Thus this preliminary study implies that dynamic pituitary MRI adds valuable information to assist in the diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome and should be ordered as part of the initial workup.

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