Perioperative Course of Transsphenoidal Pituitary Surgery through Endoscopic versus Microscopic Approach: Interim Concerns for Neurosurgical Anesthesiology

BACKGROUND: Endonasal endoscopic approach for transsphenoidal excision of pituitary adenoma has undergone remarkable evolution in the last two decades. It is considered less invasive and less stressful, with results comparable to the previous “gold standard” technique of microscopic transsphenoidal excision of pituitary adenoma. The aim of this study was to compare the various perioperative anesthetic and surgical factors which differ in the two approaches (endoscopic vs. microscopic) for pituitary adenoma excision, during the period when surgeons increasingly started using endoscope at our center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data of 307 patients from January 2011 to December 2013 were reviewed in this retrospective study. Various parameters were divided and compared on the basis of the type of approach for pituitary tumor resection vis-à-vis microscope-assisted sublabial transsphenoidal (MSLTS) resection or microscope-assisted transnasal transsphenoidal (MTNTS) resection or endoscope-assisted endonasal transsphenoidal (ETSS) resection. RESULTS: Demographic variables (except age); tumor type, dimensions, and invasiveness; patients’ comorbidities; postoperative nausea/vomiting, electrolyte imbalance, respiratory, and cardiovascular problems were comparable among three groups. Duration of surgery and anesthesia were shortest for MTNTS group and longest for ETSS group (P < 0.001). Blood loss was higher in ETSS technique (median 300 mL) and least in MTNTS (median 100 mL), and the difference was significant across all three groups (P = 0.0003). Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea was 17% in the MSLTS group compared to 6.5% in MTNTS and 7.9% in ETSS (P = 0.047). CONCLUSION: ETSS with the expected advantage of being less invasive offers a better chance for complete resection of adenoma. Neuroanesthesiologist must be prepared for longer surgical time and more blood loss as compared to previous microscopic approach, at least till the surgeons expertise in this newer technique.