Chronic nasal complication following endoscopic and microscopic direct transnasal transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma surgery

Intranasal transsphenoidal access to the sella turcica for removing pituitary gland tumors has been known since the beginning of the last century. It can be done either endoscopic or microscopic. Postoperative nasal complications may happen. The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of chronic oronasal alterations. 33 patients who had previously undergone adenomectomy with a hypophyseal transsphenoidal approach using either the endoscopic or the direct transnasal microscopic technique; these patients were operated in different neurosurgical units. Assessement of nasal complications after 6 months was done. 33 patients among them 18 patients were done by endoscopy and the other 15 were done by microscopy. No postoperative nasal complications in the endoscopy group 6 months postoperative while it is present in 3 cases of the microscopic group after the same time. Direct transnasal approach provides safe transsphenoidal access to the sella with a very low rate of nasal complications.