Introduction: Pituitary adenomas (PA) are common intracranial tumors. In the context of the ageing of the population, the question is whether postsurgical outcomes are comparable to the younger ones. The primary objective of the present study was to review published resection and recurrence rates after transsphenoidal resection. The secondary aim was to evaluate visual improvement and complication rates. Methods: The authors searched PubMed and Medline databases, of published English series, with no time frame limit, evaluating outcomes of transsphenoidal resection in populations aged more or less than 65, 70 and 80 years. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. Results: Median overall resection rates for younger population was 70.7% (range 54-76.8) and for elderly one was 65.7% (range 16.6-78.2) (two sample t test, p= 0.35). The only statistically significant difference for gross total resection rates (GTR) favored patients aged less than 80 (p=0.01). There was no statistically significant difference among recurrence rates. There was a statistically significant difference for visual improvement favoring patients aged more than 80 (p=0.03). For the age groups of less versus more than 70, there was a statistically significant difference for overall complication rate favoring younger groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: Present data shows GTR rates favoring younger patients. Recurrence rates remain similar over mean follow-up period. Moreover, visual improvement favors patients aged more than 80. Overall complications rates favors patients younger than 70, which might be also related to additional comorbidities, frequently present in seniors. Transsphenoidal surgery is safe and effective even for older patients.

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HAL is a multidisciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.