Endocrine outcomes in endoscopic pituitary surgery: a literature review.

BACKGROUND

Since the introduction of fully endoscopic surgery this new technique has been adopted with enthusiasm by many but not all pituitary surgeons. Whilst some advantages of minimal access have been recognised, the information on endocrine outcomes has been slow to accumulate.

METHOD

This literature review examined all the endoscopic papers for endocrine results and complication rates. Where adequate detail was provided these results were broken down by subtype and the pooled cure rates calculated.

FINDINGS

The review revealed that the fully endoscopic method is the equal of the microscopic technique for endocrine remission in functioning pituitary tumours. Furthermore the endoscopic results in functioning macroadenomas are substantially better than the microscopic results with similar complication rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic pituitary surgery offers significant advantages over the microscopic technique and should become the standard method of pituitary adenoma surgery.