[Pituitary tumors extending into the nose, their topography, diagnosis and principles of treatment].

Tumors of the hypophysis grow into the nose in 5.5% of cases. In 33 of 40 patients the new growth was very large and spread both into the cranial and the nasal cavity; less frequently (in 7 cases) the tumor was only infrasellar, growing into the nasal cavity. The initial signs of the growth of a hypophyseal tumor into the cavity of the nose are detected by purposeful anterior rhinoscopy of the deep anteroposterior parts of the nose and cytological examination of the aspirate from the tumor in the nose. X-ray examination and computer tomography usually reveal growth of the tumor into the nasal cavity only in the later stages of development. According to the size of the intranasal part of the tumor, the authors distinguish small (in 30 patients), of moderate size (1 case), and large (9 cases) tumors. Each group was marked by characteristic rhinoscopic and X-ray features. The choice of the method of treatment was guided by the ratio of the size of the intracranial and intranasal parts of the tumor, the extent of destruction of the base of the skull, and by other factors. Transnasal-transsphenoidal removal is recommended for a tumor growing only into the sphenoidal sinus and the nasal cavity. A tumor growing for the most part intracranially was removed from the cavity of the skull. Intracranial and endonasal rhinological removal is recommended in cases of a large tumor located in the nasal cavity and intracranially.