How long is the surgery for a pituitary tumor?

Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
Updated on November 01, 2024
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The duration of pituitary tumor surgery is influenced by many factors. For instance, the size of the pituitary tumor and whether the surgical procedure goes smoothly, as well as the presence of important blood vessels and nerves around the pituitary tumor, all affect the length of the surgery. Generally, for typical pituitary tumor patients, the surgery takes about two hours. For patients with larger pituitary tumors, the surgery may last up to three hours or even longer. The patient is given general anesthesia before the surgery and is moved to a recovery room to recuperate for a period afterward, and these times are also included in the duration of the surgery. Therefore, the specific length of the surgery is determined by these factors.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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How long does it take to recover after pituitary tumor surgery?

For patients with pituitary tumors, about six months to a year after undergoing surgery, as the endocrine hormones in the body gradually return to normal, the patient's original symptoms or signs gradually diminish or even disappear, and the quality of the body also gradually recovers. At this time, patients often recover well. For such patients, it is necessary to visit the local hospital regularly after surgery for follow-up appointments, to have a cranial MRI to help assess the effects of the pituitary tumor surgery recovery, and to have blood drawn to test the endocrine hormones in the body to see if they have returned to normal levels. If there are still abnormalities, it is advisable to take medication to regulate them.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Is a pituitary tumor easy to treat?

Our current understanding of pituitary tumors is quite deep, and we have accumulated rich treatment experience in the pathogenesis, disease progression, and treatment of pituitary tumors. Therefore, it is recommended to use surgical methods for pituitary tumor patients, especially those with obvious symptoms. Clinically, it is generally recommended to choose the transnasal-transsphenoidal approach for a complete resection of the pituitary tumor. For most patients, this can achieve good therapeutic effects. Moreover, with the continuous advancement of diagnostic techniques, early detection and treatment of small early pituitary microadenomas through complete surgical resection can also achieve good therapeutic outcomes.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Can pituitary tumors be cured?

Currently, for the treatment of pituitary tumors, it is generally recommended in clinical practice to opt for a complete resection via a transnasal-transsphenoidal approach. Most patients can achieve good therapeutic outcomes through surgery. The main goals of surgically treating pituitary tumors are to remove the tumor, decompress the visual pathways, and help restore and maintain the function of the pituitary and other neurological functions. Most patients can achieve good therapeutic results after treatment. Additionally, after receiving treatment, patients' original symptoms gradually alleviate or even disappear, and no longer worsen. Therefore, from this perspective, it is recommended that all symptomatic pituitary tumor patients should timely seek medical consultation at local hospitals and receive early treatment.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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How to treat pituitary tumors?

Currently, the treatment of pituitary tumors can generally be conducted through various methods such as surgery, medication, and radiation therapy. The specific choice of treatment for a patient depends on the patient's individual circumstances, including factors such as gender, age, the current size of the pituitary tumor, whether there is damage to other vital organs, and the patient's overall condition. For most symptomatic patients, surgery is usually recommended. Clinically, it is generally recommended to choose transnasal transsphenoidal surgery for complete removal, which often achieves very good therapeutic effects. However, for some pituitary tumors located in special positions where complete surgical removal is not achievable, radiation therapy or Gamma Knife surgery can be used in conjunction.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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How to check for pituitary tumors?

For the examination of pituitary tumors, it can be conducted jointly through various methods such as inquiring about the patient's medical history based on symptoms and signs, as well as conducting endocrine and radiological examinations. Currently, with the continuous advancement in modern endocrinology, the use of endocrine radiology immunodiagnostic methods allows for the direct measurement of various hormones from the pituitary and hypothalamus, and functional tests of the pituitary can be performed. This helps in understanding whether there is hyperfunction in the pituitary and target organs, and provides an effective evaluation of early diagnosis of pituitary tumors, changes before and after treatment, and treatment efficacy, which is of significant importance. Additionally, judgments can also be made jointly through various methods such as cranial CT, cranial MRI, and enhanced MRI scanning of the pituitary gland.