Complications after trans-sphenoidal surgery: our experience and a review of the literature

The incidence of surgical complications after trans-sphenoidal surgery for pituitary lesions is low. The influence of size of the lesion and its pathology on the incidence of different types of complications and the remission rate of functioning adenomas are addressed in this retrospective study. Between 1996 and 2001, 126 trans-sphenoidal operations were performed on 108 patients with pituitary pathologies. Diabetes insipidus (DI) was the commonest (23%) and the incidence was higher with microadenomas and in those with Cushing's disease (p < 0.05). Other important complications were: postoperative hypopituitarism 22%, CSF leak 13%, meningitis 5.5%, pneumocephalus 2.4%, visual deterioration 1.5%, haematoma 0.8% and 30-day mortality rate of 0.8%. Other complications encountered were subdural haematoma, epistaxis, SIADH, sphenoid abscess, deep vein thrombosis, thalamic infarct and hydrocephalus. No vascular injuries were encountered. The overall remission rate for acromegaly and Cushing's disease (22 patients each) was 77 and 81%, respectively. The remission rate was 100% for microadenomas, 89% for both acromegaly and Cushing's disease. More aggressiveness towards complete tumour removal increases the biochemical cure rate of functioning adenomas and on the other hand results in higher incidence of CSF leak and hypopituitarism.