Hypophysial Tumors Through the Intradural Approach

My attention was first called to the intradural approach for the removal of hypophysial tumors by Dr. G. H. Heuer of Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Heuer showed me two patients on whom he had operated by this method. I shall not discuss the surgical indications of hypophysial disorders; but in the group of cases in which there were visual disturbances, the improvement following operation has been so marked that we feel that special attention should be called to the surgical treatment. Six patients have been operated on, and drawings are presented which show the tumors in place before their removal. The physiologic and surgical indications of hypophysial tumors have been described by Cushing.1Frazier2has called attention to three surgical indications: (1) subtemporal decompression for the relief of pain; (2) decompression of the sella turcica or removal of the tumor for visual disturbances, and (3) operation on the