Primary Endoscopic Endonasal Management of Giant Pituitary Adenomas: Outcome and Pitfalls from a Large Prospective Multicenter Experience

PurposeCerebral reconstruction appears to play a diminished role in managing complex skull base tumors involving vital neurovascular structures.Materials and MethodsPatients with recurrent or progressive middle cranial fossa tumors treated by radical resection followed by extracranial-to-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass from 2014 to 2019 were included. Balloon test occlusion (BTO) was performed preoperatively.ResultsOverall, 9 patients (5 males, 4 females; mean age, 29.9 years) were enrolled. The lesions arose from the parasellar region (3), cavernous sinus (3), petroclival region (2), or orbital apex (1), and all encased the cavernous/petrous portion of the internal carotid artery. Before tumor resection, internal maxillary artery (IMA) bypass was performed for 7 patients, cervical EC-IC bypass was performed for 1 patient, and interposed superficial temporal artery (STA) bypass was performed for 1 patient. BTO failed in 8 patients and was tolerated by one patient. Intraoperative blood flow of the interposed graft was 79.7 ± 37.86 ml/min after IMA bypass, 190.6 ml/min following cervical EC-IC bypass and 75 ml/min after interposed STA bypass. All bypasses were patent on intraoperative indocyanine green angiography. Radical tumor resection was achieved in 5 patients (55.6%), and patency was confirmed postoperatively in 88.8% (8/9) of bypasses. Six patients showed favorable outcomes at discharge. At the 2-year follow-up, 7 patients (77.8%) had favorable outcomes (Karnofsky Performance Scale score>80). At the 1.5-year follow-up, one patient had died due to infarction; at the 3-year follow-up, another patient had developed tumor recurrence despite being asymptomatic.ConclusionCerebral bypass remains a vital tool for managing select middle cranial fossa tumors that invade or erode the surrounding neurovasculature or hinder carotid artery expansion and are difficult to resect.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Maximal Resection of Tumors Encasing the Internal Carotid Artery and Hindering Internal Carotid Artery Expansion Followed by Revascularization Surgery: A Series of Nine Cases at a Single Tertiary Center

Sun¹,

Wang²,

Shi³

et al. 2022

“…CSF leak is one of the most common postoperative complications after EES for pituitary adenomas. According to literature reports, the incidence of CSF leak after EES for pituitary adenomas ranges from 2.6% to 12.1% ( 4 , 11 – 17 ). In the current study, 3.5% of patients with pituitary adenomas developed cerebrospinal fluid leakage after EES.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk factors and management associated with postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak after endoscopic endonasal surgery for pituitary adenoma

Zhao

Fang

et al. 2022

ObjectiveTo determine risk factors and management for the development of a postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak after an endoscopic endonasal surgery (EES) for pituitary adenomas.MethodsThe clinical data of 400 patients who underwent EES for resection of pituitary adenomas from December 2018 to November 2019 in the Department of Neurosurgery of Beijing Tiantan Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Age, gender, body mass index (BMI), tumor size, Knosp grade, suprasellar extension grade, sellar floor erosion grade, repeated transsphenoidal surgery, intraoperative CSF leak, use of pedicled nasoseptal flap and lumbar drain were collected and analyzed.ResultsPostoperative CSF leak occurred in 14 of 400 patients (3.5%). Age, gender, BMI, tumor size, Knosp grade and repeated transsphenoidal surgery were not risk factors for CSF leak. Suprasellar extension grade (≥B 6.0% vs. <B 1.4%; p = 0.024), sellar floor erosion grade (≥III 5.7% vs. <III 0.6%; p = 0.020) and intraoperative CSF leak (Yes 7.5% vs. No 2.0%; p = 0.009) were factors associated with an increased postoperative CSF leak rate.ConclusionsHigher suprasellar extension grade, higher sellar floor erosion grade and intraoperative CSF leak were risk factors for postoperative CSF leak after endoscopic treatment of pituitary adenoma. Strict skull base reconstruction including use of a pedicled nasoseptal flap and perioperative lumbar drainage may avoid postoperative CSF leak.

“…We intend to remove the cotton patties in the near future after confirming that the blood flow of the ICA petrous portion is obstructed. Chibbaro et al had no instances of ICA injury even in difficult cases such as giant pituitary adenoma ( 16 – 18 ). A careful preoperative assessment of tumor characteristics, a multidisciplinary team of Neurosurgery/Otorhinolaryngology specialists, and the assistance of intraoperative navigation and micro-Doppler ultrasonography are beneficial in reducing the risk of unexpected complications in ETSS for pituitary and parasellar tumors, as Chibbaro et al advocated ( 16 – 20 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Injury to the Extrasellar Portion of the Internal Carotid Artery during Endoscopic Transsphenoidal Surgery: A Case Report

Teramoto

Tahara²,

Murai³

et al. 2022

BackgroundInjury to the internal carotid artery (ICA) during endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (ETSS) is a serious complication with a risk of mortality. ICA injury during ETSS usually occurs during intrasellar manipulations and rarely occurs in the extrasellar portion. Several hemostatic procedures have been proposed for ICA injury in the intrasellar portion, whereas hemostatic methods for ICA injury in the extrasellar portion, where the ICA is surrounded by bone structures, are less well known.Case PresentationA 65-year-old man with an incidental pituitary tumor underwent ETSS. The petrous portion of the left ICA was injured during resection of the sphenoid septum connected with left carotid prominence using a cutting forceps. Bleeding was too heavy for simple hemostatic techniques. Hemostasis using a crushed muscle patch was tried unsuccessfully during controlling of the bleeding. Eventually, the injured site of the ICA was covered with cotton patties followed by closing with a vascularized pedicled nasoseptal flap. Cerebral angiography immediately after surgery showed no extravasation from the injured site of the left ICA petrous portion. However, a carotid-cavernous sinus fistula originating from the injured ICA site was detected 7 days after surgery, so the vascular reconstructive surgery combined with left ICA occlusion was performed. The overall postoperative course was uneventful.ConclusionWe believe that emergency application of the cottonoids may be effective for hemostasis against ICA injury in the extrasellar portion during ETSS, but further vascular reconstruction combined with ICA occlusion on the injured side and removal of the cottonoids would be required.