Table of Contents
- 1 Can a pituitary tumor be treated with medication?
- 2 Is pituitary surgery brain surgery?
- 3 How successful is pituitary surgery?
- 4 How long is surgery to remove pituitary tumor?
- 5 How long does pituitary surgery take?
- 6 How long is recovery after pituitary tumor surgery?
- 7 What is the best hospital for pituitary tumor surgery?
- 8 How painful is pituitary surgery?
Can a pituitary tumor be treated with medication?
Medication (drug therapy) is very effective for treating some hormone-producing pituitary tumors. The medication can stop a tumor from producing excess hormones or shrink it so it does not press on the pituitary gland or other parts of the nervous system.
Is pituitary surgery brain surgery?
Endoscopic pituitary surgery, also called transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery, is the most common surgery used to remove pituitary tumors. The pituitary gland is located at the bottom of your brain and above the inside of your nose.
Is pituitary Microadenoma curable?
Is a pituitary microadenoma tumor curable? In most cases, a microadenoma can be cured with endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery. In this procedure, a neurosurgeon reaches the tumor through the nasal passages and sphenoid sinus.
How successful is pituitary surgery?
The success rate is about 60\% with growth-hormone secreting macroadenomas [2]. Some pituitary tumors remain surgically incurable due to invasion of the cavernous sinuses and other important structures.
How long is surgery to remove pituitary tumor?
How long does the pituitary surgery take? Most patients are in the operating room for 3-4 hours, although occasionally it can take longer or may be even shorter. If the time goes over 4 hours, do not be alarmed. The staff will keep your family updated as the operation proceeds.
Is surgery necessary for pituitary tumor?
Surgical removal of a pituitary tumor usually is necessary if the tumor is pressing on the optic nerves or if the tumor is overproducing certain hormones. The success of surgery depends on the tumor type, its location, its size and whether the tumor has invaded surrounding tissues.
How long does pituitary surgery take?
How long is recovery after pituitary tumor surgery?
It can take up to 6 weeks to fully recover. The cuts the doctor made (incisions) may be sore for about 5 days after surgery. You may also have numbness and shooting pains near your wound, or swelling and bruising around your eyes.
Do Microadenomas need to be removed?
Surgical Care For prolactin-secreting microadenomas, surgical removal is followed by recurrence in 10-50\% of patients. Therefore, medical therapy is preferred. Secretory tumors are best removed by the transsphenoidal approach.
What is the best hospital for pituitary tumor surgery?
Nationally recognized expertise. Mayo Clinic is one of the largest pituitary centers in the United States. Its surgeons have experience and expertise in endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery and in using stereotactic radiosurgery, fractionated radiation therapy or proton beam radiation to treat these tumors.
How painful is pituitary surgery?
The cuts the doctor made (incisions) may be sore for about 5 days after surgery. You may also have numbness and shooting pains near your wound, or swelling and bruising around your eyes. As your wound starts to heal, it may start to itch. Medicines and ice packs can help with headaches, pain, swelling, and itching.
What surgical procedure removes a pituitary tumor?
Transsphenoidal surgery This is the most common way to remove pituitary tumors. Transsphenoidal means that the surgery is done through the sphenoid sinus, a hollow space in the skull behind the nasal passages and below the brain.