What Are The Different Types Of Pituitary Tumor Surgery?

Overview

Pituitary tumor is an abnormal growth in the pituitary gland which is the part of the brain that regulates the body’s balance of hormones. Pituitary gland produces many important hormones of the body.
Some pituitary tumors result in too many hormones and cause pituitary gland to produce lower levels of hormones. Most pituitary tumors are noncancerous (benign) growths (adenomas). Adenomas remain in the pituitary gland or surrounding tissues and do not spread to other parts of the body. Options for pituitary tumor treatment includes medicines, surgrey, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Symptoms of Pituitary Tumor

Following are some of the signs and symptoms of pituitary tumor:-

• Extra hormones in the blood.
• Flushing of the face.
• Weight gain.
• Headache.
• High blood pressure
• Irregular heartbeat.
• Weak muscles and bones.
• Large hands and feet.
• Irritability.
• Anxiety.
• Lower sex drive.
• Confusion.
• Vision loss.
• Menstrual cycle changes.
• Breast milk even if not pregnant.
• Depression.
• Impotence.
• Seizures.
• Nausea.
• Dizziness.
• Vomiting.
• Loss of body hair.
• Runny nose due to cerebrospinal fluid leaking into the nose
• Lack of milk when breastfeeding.
• Bruising easily.
• Delayed sexual development and growth in children.

Surgery for Pituitary Tumors

The main treatment for many pituitary tumors is surgery. How well the surgery works depends on the type of tumor, its location, size of the tumor and its spread in the nearby structures.

Transsphenoidal Surgery: - Transsphenoidal Surgery is the most common surgery to remove pituitary tumors. This surgery is performed through the sphenoid sinus which is a hollow space in the skull behind the nasal passages and below the brain. The back wall of the sinus covers the pituitary gland. To perform this surgery the surgeon makes a small incision along the nasal septum or under the upper lip. The surgeon opens the boney walls of the sphenoid sinus with surgical instruments to reach the pituitary.

Endoscope is a new approach which has a thin fiber-optic tube with a tiny camera lens at the tip. In this approach the incision is made under the upper lip or the front part of the nasal septum because the endoscope allows the surgeon to see well the small incision made in the back of the nasal septum. The surgeon then passes the instruments through normal nasal passages and opens the sphenoid sinus to reach the pituitary gland and remove the tumor. Use of this technique depends on the tumor’s position and the shape of the sphenoid sinus.

Transsphenoidal approach has many advantages over other types of surgeries. In this surgery no part of the brain is touched during the surgery so the chances of damage is very less. There are no visible scars after the surgery. In case if the tumor is large or has grown into the nearby structures then the chances for a curing the tumor is very low.

Craniotomy: - Craniotomy is performed for large or complicated pituitary tumors. To perform this surgery the surgeon makes an opening in the front side of the skull and work carefully beneath and between the lobes of the brain to reach the tumor. Craniotomy has a higher chance of brain injury as compared to transsphenoidal surgery. This surgery is safe for large and complex lesions because the surgeon is able to see and reach the tumor and nearby nerves and blood vessels. Smaller pituitary tumors are easier to treat with surgery whereas larger and more invasive tumor are less likely to be cured by surgery

Affordable Pituitary Tumor Surgery in India

Pituitary tumor surgery success rate in India is very high. Availability of best hospitals and surgeons in India adds to the success rate of surgeries performed in India. Pituitary tumor surgery cost is very affordable in India if compared to any other western country. Advanced medical facilities in India are available at the most affordable costs. Patients from abroad can undergo pituitary tumor surgery in India and save huge amounts.