Recent advances in surgical management of chromophobe tumor of pituitary.

Abstract

Recent progress in the management of chromophobe tumors of the pituitary gland includes: ( 1) recognition of the endocrine deficiency and its correction in preparation for and subsequent to surgical treatment; (2) improvement in surgical techniques with a decrease in operative mortality rates; and (3) possibility of the use of greater doses of radiation therapy. This paper deals with observations made on patients with chromophobe tumors of the pituitary who were treated surgically during the past 18 years. In 38 patients treated surgically, there was a mortality rate of 16.8%, but, in the last 18 consecutive patients on whom operations were performed, there was a mortality rate of 5.5%. This mortality rate can undoubtedly be lowered with better preoperative study and preparation for operative intervention. Essentially the same precautions must be taken in patients with parapituitary and suprasellar lesions. In this group, similar endocrine deficiencies, the correction of which may be