Treatment of complicated tumors in sellar area with microsurgical techniques:A report of 56 cases

Objective: To investigate the microsurgical techniques for complicated tumors located in sellar area.Methods:The operations were performed by a modified trans-pterion approach,and tumors were removed from spaces in sellar area with microsurgical techniques.Results:Twenty-six of 33 pituitary adenomas,8 of 12 craniopharyngiomas and 9 of 11 sellar meningiomas were totally removed,and the other cases of the three kinds of tumors above were subtotally removed.All the patients were sober after operation.Functional impairment of optic nerves and oculomotor nerves appeared in 6 and 2 patients,respectively.Conclusion:This modified trans-pterion approach is very suitable to remove complicated sellar tumors.Mastering the microsurgical techniques and acquaintance with the anatomy spaces in sellar area are a key to remove complicated tumors in the sellar area.