Is Transsphenoidal surgery considered brain surgery?
Endoscopic pituitary surgery, also called transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery, is the most common surgery used to remove pituitary tumors. The pituitary gland is located at the bottom of your brain and above the inside of your nose.
Do all pituitary tumors require surgery?
(5) Do all pituitary tumors require surgery? No. Tumors which secrete high amounts of the hormone prolactin usually respond to medical therapy so that surgery is not required.
How painful is pituitary surgery?
Most patients experience mild to moderate discomfort for several days after surgery. The amount of discomfort varies from patient to patient, with some requiring only mild pain medications for a day or two whereas a minority of patients require pain medications for several weeks.
Can you survive without a pituitary gland?
The pituitary gland is called the master gland of the endocrine system. This is because it controls many other hormone glands in the body. According to The Pituitary Foundation, without it, the body wouldn’t reproduce, wouldn’t grow properly and many other bodily functions just wouldn’t function.
How successful is pituitary surgery?
The success rate is about 60% with growth-hormone secreting macroadenomas [2]. Some pituitary tumors remain surgically incurable due to invasion of the cavernous sinuses and other important structures.
How dangerous is pituitary surgery?
In case of damage to the arteries, brain tissue, nerves near the pituitary gland during the time of pituitary tumor surgery may lead to complications like permanent brain damage, blindness, or stroke but even these complications are rare. In case during the surgery there is some damage to the meninges, it can lead to CSF leak.
What is the recovery time after pituitary tumor surgery?
Recovery after pituitary tumor surgery begins immediately in the hospital with close monitoring of vision, fluid intake and output and any nasal discharge from the surgery site. Expect to be out of work an average of about two weeks, depending on the type of work you do, according to Pituitary.org.
What to expect after pituitary tumor surgery?
Recovery from pituitary tumor surgery is usually a long procedure stretching over months. During this period, your cortisol levels are very low. This may lead to a feeling of low energy, flu like symptoms, pain, body aches etc. As your body gets accustomed to the lower levels of cortisol ,…
What happens if pituitary gland is removed?
Other non-specific symptoms which a person can experience if the pituitary gland is removed include weakness, nausea, loss of weight, tiredness, feeling cold, loss of erections and loss of sex drive in men.