A CLINICAL EXPERIENCE IN ENDOSCOPIC ENDONASAL TRANSSPHENOIDAL HYPOPHYSECTOMY IN SKULL BASE CENTER OF BASRAH

Endoscopic Endo-nasal Trans-Sphenoidal (EETS) approach is a minimally invasive technique that has gained increased acceptability for removal of sellar and parasellar tumors. This prospective study was carried out on 50 patients in Basrah skull base center at Al-Sader Teaching Hospital between August 2017 and July 2019. The technique involved a unilateral, endoscopic, endonasal approach to the sella turcica via an anterior sphenoidotomy which is performed as a joint procedure by a consultant otolaryngologist and a consultant neurosurgeon The most common presenting symptom for pituitary tumor was; headache which present in 80% (40 patients) of the patients, followed by visual disturbance in 56% (28 patients). Infertility and hemiparesis are the least symptoms 2% for each (one patient). The MRI study of brain and sellar region showed that forty six patients (92%) was diagnosed as pituitary adenomas and one patient (2%) have Rathke’s cyst and another one have meningioma. Tumor location and extension which was assessed by MRI revealed that 70% (35 patients) had tumor located in sella with extension to suprasellar region, where only 2% (one patient) had sellar with supra- and parasellar extension. Eighty percent (40 patients) were virgin cases (not operated before), while only 20% (10 patients) were revised cases (operated before either open or transsphenoidal). We achieved complete resection of the tumor in 82% cases (41 patients). The most common method used for reconstruction of the surgical defect was underlay multilayers which was used in 62% (31 patients), while in 10%, posterior based middle turbinate flaps were used in reconstruction. We noticed that 3 patients (6%) developed significant epistaxis, CSF rhinorrhea in 3 patients (6%), and unfortunately 3 patients (6%) died postoperatively. In conclusion, this study shows that endoscopic, endonasal, transsphenoidal hypophysectomy is a minimally invasive, effective and safe procedure to remove pituitary tumors. Key words: Hypophysectomy, Endonasal, Endoscopy, Transsphenoidal.