Endoscopic pituitary surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis Clinical article

Object. Surgery on the pituitary gland is increasingly being performed through an endoscopic approach. However, there is little published data on its safety and relative advantages over traditional microscope-based approaches. Published reports are limited by small sample size and nonrandomized study design. A meta-analysis allows for a description of the impact of endoscopic surgery on short-term outcomes. Methods. The authors performed retrospective review of data from their institution as well as a systematic review of the literature. The pooled data were analyzed for descriptive statistics oil short-term outcomes. Results. Nine studies (821 patients) met inclusion criteria. Overall, the pooled rate of gross tumor removal was 78% (95% CI 67-89%). Hormone resolution was achieved in 81% (95% CI 71-91%) of adrenocorticotropic hormone secreting tumors, 84% (95% CI 76-92%) of growth hormone secreting tumors, and 82% (95% CI 70-94%) of prolactin secreting tumors. The pooled complication rates were 2% (95% CI 0-4%) for CSF leak and 1% (95% CI 0-2%) for permanent diabetes insipidus. There were 2 deaths reported in the literature that were both related to vascular injury, giving ail overall mortality rate of 0.24%. Conclusions. The results of this meta-analysis support the safety and short-term efficacy of endoscopic pituitary surgery. Future Studies with long-term follow-tip are required to determine tumor control. (DOI: 10.3171/2007.12.17635)