Post-operative diabetes insipidus after endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery

Diabetes insipidus (DI) after endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (ETSS) can lead to increased morbidity, longer hospital stays, and increased medication requirements. Predicting which patients are at high risk for developing DI can help direct services to ensure adequate care and follow-up. The objective of this study was to review our institution’s experience with ETSS and determine which clinical/laboratory variables are associated with DI in this patient population. The authors wanted to see if there was an easily determined single value that would help predict which patients develop DI. This represents the largest North American series of this type. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients who had undergone ETSS for resection of sellar and parasellar pathology between 2006 and 2011. We examined patient and tumor characteristics and their relationship to postoperative DI. Out of 172 endoscopic transsphenoidal surgeries, there were 15 cases of transient DI (8.7 %) and 14 cases of permanent DI (8.1 %). Statistically significant predictors of postoperative DI (p < 0.05) included tumor volume and histopathology (Rathke’s cleft cyst and craniopharyngioma). Significant indicators of development of DI were postoperative serum sodium, preoperative to postoperative change in sodium level, and urine output prior to administration of 1-deamino-8-d-arginine vasopressin. An increase in serum sodium of ≥2.5 mmol/L is a positive marker of development of DI with 80 % specificity, and a postoperative serum sodium of ≥145 mmol/L is a positive indicator with 98 % specificity. Identifying perioperative risk factors and objective indicators of DI after ETSS will help physicians care for patients postoperatively. In this large series, we demonstrated that there were multiple perioperative risk factors for the development of DI. These findings, which are consistent with other reports from microscopic surgical series, will help identify patients at risk for diabetes insipidus, aid in planning treatment algorithms, and increase vigilance in high risk patients.     

Repeat endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery for acromegaly: remission and complications

Reported biochemical remission rates following surgical intervention for acromegaly range from 38 to 83 %. In patients not achieving surgical remission, few options remain, mostly limited to medical management and radiation therapy. There is debate over whether or not to offer reoperation to patients in whom surgical remission is not achieved with initial resection. Retrospective chart review was undertaken to determine all patients having acromegaly with persistently elevated GH and/or IGF-1 levels after initial pituitary adenoma resection, and who underwent reoperation using endoscopic endonasal approach at a single institution. Biochemical remission was defined as a postoperative GH level <1 ng/mL and a normal postoperative IGF-1 level in the absence of any medical therapy. In total, 14 patients underwent repeat surgical intervention for acromegaly via endoscopic transsphenoidal approach. Of the 14 patients, 8 (57 %) achieved biochemical remission following repeat surgical intervention. Lower preoperative GH levels were associated with greater chance of biochemical remission (P = 0.048). New endocrinopathies were seen in 2 patients (14 %), and both were transient diabetes insipidus. Meningitis occurred in 2 patients (14 %); both were aseptic meningitis with no sequelae. No mortality was encountered. Repeat surgical intervention for acromegaly via endoscopic transsphenoidal approach appears safe and effective. With no mortality and minimal morbidity, repeat surgical intervention via endoscopic transsphenoidal approach appears a reasonable option for these hard-to-treat patients and should be considered for patients in whom surgical remission is not achieved with initial surgery.     

Frailty does not preclude surgical success after endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas

Pituitary - Frailty is a state of physiological vulnerability that negatively influences surgical outcomes. The effect of frailty on pituitary adenoma surgery, however, is not clear, and patients...     

Single-surgeon fully endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery: outcomes in three-hundred consecutive cases

The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes of endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery using a single-surgeon technique as an alternative to the more commonly employed two-surgeon, three-hand method. Three hundred consecutive endoscopic transsphenoidal procedures performed over a 5 year period from 2006 to 2011 were reviewed. All procedures were performed via a binasal approach utilizing a single surgeon two handed technique with a pneumatic endoscope holder. Expanded enodnansal cases were excluded. Surgical technique, biochemical and surgical outcomes, and complications were analyzed. 276 patients underwent 300 consecutive surgeries with a mean follow-up period of 37 ± 22 months. Non-functioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) was the most common pathology (n = 152), followed by growth hormone secreting tumors (n = 41) and Rathke’s cleft cysts (n = 30). Initial gross total cyst drainage based on radiologic criteria was obtained in 28 cases of Rathke’s cleft cyst, with 5 recurrences. For NFPA and other pathologies (n = 173) gross total resection was obtained in 137 cases, with a 92 % concordance rate between observed and expected extent of resection. For functional adenoma, remission rates were 30/41 (73 %) for GH-secreting, 12/12 (100 %) for ACTH-secreting, and 8/17 (47 %) for prolactin-secreting tumors. Post-operative complications included transient (11 %) and permanent (1.4 %) diabetes insipidus, hyponatremia (13 %), and new anterior pituitary hormonal deficits (1.4 %). CSF leak occurred in 42 cases (15 %), and four patients required surgical repair. Two carotid artery injuries occurred, both early in the series. Epistaxis and other rhinological complications were noted in 10 % of patients, most of which were minor and diminished as surgical experience increased. Fully endoscopic single surgeon transsphenoidal surgery utilizing a binasal approach and a pneumatic endoscope holder yields outcomes comparable to those reported with a two-surgeon method. Endoscopic outcomes appear to be better than those reported in microscope-based series, regardless of a one or two surgeon technique.     

The experience with transsphenoidal surgery and its importance to outcomes

Purpose

Surgical experience is considered paramount for excellent outcome of transsphenoidal surgery (TSS). However, objective data demonstrating the surgical success in relation to the experience of pituitary surgery units or individual experience of pituitary surgeons is sparse.

Methods

Based on literature data, we have investigated the influence of experience with TSS for pituitary adenomas on endocrinological remission rates and on operative complications. The surgical experience was assessed by calculating the number of transsphenoidal operations per year.

Results

For TSS of microprolactinomas, mean remission rates were 77% in centers with <?2 operations per year for microprolactinomas, 82% with 2–4 operations, 84% with 4–6 operations, and 91% with >?6 operations. A yearly experience with more than 10 initial operations for Cushing’s disease (CD) warrants a remission rate exceeding 70%. Remission rates in CD exceeding 86% have only been reported for single surgeon series. Extraordinarily high complication rates were found in some series with <?25 yearly total operations for pituitary adenomas. Major vascular complications were less than 2% and revision rates for rhinorrhea usually?<?2.5% in centers performing?>?25 transsphenoidal operations per year.

Conclusions

We conclude that a center with experience of >?25 transsphenoidal operations for pituitary adenomas per year provides a high likelihood of safe TSS. Surgery for CD requires a particularly high level of practice to guarantee excellent remission rates. The endocrinologist has the unique opportunity to audit the surgical success by hormone measurement and to refer patients to neurosurgeons with proven excellence.

     

Postoperative assessment of the patient after transsphenoidal pituitary surgery

While most transsphenoidal pituitary surgery is accomplished without complication, monitoring is required postoperatively for a set of disorders that are specific to this surgery. Postoperative assessments are tailored to the early and later postoperative periods. In the early period, which spans the first few weeks after surgery, both monitoring of anterior and posterior pituitary function and managing neurosurgical issues are the focus of care. Potential disruption of pituitary-adrenal function is covered with perioperative glucocorticoids. Various strategies exist for ensuring the integrity of this axis, but typically this is done by measuring a morning cortisol on the 2nd or 3rd postoperative days. Patients with levels <10 μg/l should continue therapy with reassessment in the later postoperative period. Monitoring for water imbalances, which are due to deficiency or excess of ADH (DI or SIADH, respectively), is accomplished by continuous accounting of fluid intake, urine output and specific gravities coupled with daily serum electrolyte measurements. DI is characterized by excess volumes of inappropriately dilute urine, which can lead to hypernatremia. Most patients maintain adequate fluid intake and euvolemia, but desmopressin therapy is required for some. SIADH, which peaks in incidence on 7th postoperative day, presents with hyponatremia that can be severe and symptomatic. Management consists of fluid restriction. Neurosurgical monitoring is primarily for disturbances in vision or neurological function, and although uncommon, for CSF leak and infections such as meningitis. In the later postoperative period, the adrenal, thyroid and gonadal axes are assessed. New persistent hypopituitarism is rare when transsphenoidal surgery is performed by an experienced surgeon. Various strategies are available for assessing each axis and for providing replacement therapy in patients with deficiencies. Long term monitoring with assessments of visual, neurological and pituitary function coupled with pituitary imaging is necessary for all patients who have undergone surgery, irrespective of the hormone status of their tumors.     

垂体腺瘤鼻内镜蝶窦入路手术的局部影像解剖学测量

目的为垂体腺瘤鼻内镜蝶窦入路手术提供影像解剖学依据。方法利用双源CT三维重建技术对100例（200侧）鼻、鼻窦及颅底正常的受试者行蝶窦、蝶鞍区有关解剖数据的测量。结果鼻小柱根部至蝶窦前壁最近点、蝶嘴最前端、蝶鞍底最近点、蝶窦口下极、颈内动脉海绵窦段、视神经管眶口前内侧缘的距离分别为（65.91±5.38）、（72.36±6.79）、（84.29±4.37）、（69.97±5.33）、（87.41±5.04）、（76.76±4.15）mm,鼻小柱根部至以上各解剖结构连线与鼻底平面的矢状角分别为25.17°±6.79°、16.19°±6.68°、26.12°±6.59°、31.17°±6.50°、23.64°±5.60°、38.15°±6.07°,鼻小柱根部至蝶窦口下极、颈内动脉海绵窦段、视神经管眶口前内侧缘的连线与颅脑正中矢状面的侧偏角分别为4.13°±1.47°、7.92°±1.41°、11.28°±1.89°。结论利用双源CT三维重建技术可以地为垂体腺瘤鼻内镜蝶窦入路手术提供影像解剖学依据。     

Place of upper endoscopy before and after bariatric surgery: A multicenter experience with 3219 patients

AIM: To study the preoperative and postoperative role of upper esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD) in morbidly obese patients. METHODS: This is a multicenter retrospective study by reviewing the database of patients who underwent bariatric surgery(laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, laparoscopic Roux en Y gastric bypass, or laparoscopic minigastric bypass) in the period between 2001 June and 2015 August(Jahra Hospital-Kuwait, Hafr Elbatin Hospital and King Saud Medical City-KSA, and Mansoura University Hospital- Egypt). Patients with age 18-65 years, body mass index(BMI) 40, or 35 with comorbidities after failure of many dietetic regimen and acceptable levels of surgical risk were included in the study after having an informed signed consent. We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of all morbidly obese patients. The patients' preoperative data included clinical history including upper digestive symptoms and preoperative full workup including EGD. Only patients whose charts revealed weather they were symptomatic or not were studied. We categorized patients accordingly into two groups; with(group A) or without(group B) upper digestive symptoms. The endoscopic findings were categorized into 4 groups based on predetermined criteria. The medical record of patients who developed stricture, leak or bleeding after bariatric surgery was reviewed. Logestic regression analysis was used to identify preoperative predictors that might be associated with abnormal endoscopic findings. RESULTS: Three thousand, two hundred and nineteen patients in the study period underwent bariatric surgery(75% LSG, 10% LRYDB, and 15% MGB). Mean BMI was 43 ± 13, mean age 37 ± 9 years, 79% were female. Twenty eight percent had presented with upper digestive symptoms(group A). EGD was considered normal in 2414(75%) patients(9% group A vs 66% group B, P = 0.001). The abnormal endoscopic findings were found high in those patients with upper digestive symptoms. Abnormal findings(one or more) were found in 805(25%) patients(19% group A vs 6% group B, P = 0.001). Seven patients had critical events during conscious sedation due to severe hypoxemia( 60%). Rate of stricture in our study was 2.6%. Success rate of endoscopic dilation was 100%. One point nine percent patients with gastric leak were identified with 75% success rate of endoscopic therapy. Three point seven percent patients developed acute upper bleeding. Seventy-eight point two percent patients were treated by conservative therapy and EGD was performed in 21.8% with 100% success and 0% complications.CONCLUSION: Our results support the performance of EGD only in patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Endoscopy also offers safe effective tool for anastomotic complications after bariatric surgery.     

Transient asystole during endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery for Acromegaly: an example of trigeminocardiac reflex

Cardiac arrhythmias are rare during transsphenoidal surgery and is often secondary to stimulation of the trigeminal nerve endings that supply the nasal passages and cavernous sinus walls. Authors report a patient with Acromegaly, who developed transient asystole, during the dissection of the adenoma extending into the left cavernous sinus wall. In such cases, the use of prophylactic atropine may help to avoid such a complication.     

Characteristics of meningitis following transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery: a case series and a systematic literature review

Background

Meningitis occurs in 0.8–1.5% of patients undergoing neurosurgery. The aim of the study was to evaluate the characteristics of meningitis after endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (EETS) comparing the findings retrieved to those highlighted by literature search.

Materials and methods

Patients treated by EETS during an 18-year period in the Department of Neurosurgery of ‘Federico II’ University of Naples were evaluated and included in the study if they fulfilled criteria for meningitis. Epidemiological, demographic, laboratory, and microbiological findings were evaluated. A literature research according to PRISMA methodology completed the study.

Results

EETS was performed on 1450 patients, 8 of them (0.6%) had meningitis [median age 46 years (range 33–73)]. Endoscopic surgery was performed 1–15 days (median 4 days) before diagnosis. Meningeal signs were always present. CSF examination revealed elevated cells [median 501 cells/μL (range 30–5728)], high protein [median 445 mg/dL (range 230–1210)], and low glucose [median 10 mg/dL (range 1–39)]. CSF culture revealed Gram-negative bacteria in four cases (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Alcaligenes spp., and Haemophilus influenzae), Streptococcus pneumoniae in two cases, Aspergillus fumigatus in one case. An abscess occupying the surgical site was observed in two cases. Six cases reported a favorable outcome; two died. Incidence of meningitis approached to 2%, as assessed by the literature search.

Conclusions

Incidence of meningitis after EETS is low despite endoscope goes through non-sterile structures; microorganisms retrieved are those present within sinus microenvironment. Meningitis must be suspected in patients with persistent fever and impaired conscience status after EETS.

     

Diabetes insipidus from metastatic oat cell carcinoma: recovery after brain irradiation

A hypothalamic metastasis was demonstrated by computed tomography in a 71-year-old patient, with previously unknown small cell lung cancer, who presented with diabetes insipidus and biological signs of hypothyroidism and hypogonadism. Brain irradiation resulted in resolution of polyuria, elevation of thyroid hormones, improvement of pituitary responsiveness to hypothalamic releasing hormones, and complete disappearance of contrast-enhanced suprasellar metastasis.     

Prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas: prolactin dynamics before and after transsphenoidal surgery.

Twenty women with hyperprolactinaemia secondary to a pituitary adenoma were studied before and after selective transsphenoidal removal of the tumour. Pre-operatively, thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) (200 micrograms iv) and metoclopramide (MCP) (10 mg po) did not produce a positive PRL response in the tumour patients. By contrast, 14 post-partum lactating women, who were used as controls, exhibited a positive response to MCP administration. Methergoline (4 mg po) was shown to decrease serum PRL levels in 8 normal subjects, in 6 puerperal women, and 9 of 10 tumour patients. Bromoergocriptine (CB-154, 2.5 mg po) decreased serum PRL levels in 10 tumour patients. Following transsphenoidal removal of the adenoma serum PRL levels were reduced in all patients, and returned to normal in 14 patients. Prognostics for completely normalizing PRL secretion after transsphenoidal surgery is bettery when initial serum PRL levels are below 200 ng/ml. After surgery all hyperprolactinaemic patients failed to show a positive PRL response to TRH and MCP. Nine normoprolactinaemic patients had a positive response to both stimuli while 3 patients failed to show a positive response immediately following surgery. Long-term studies, however, showed that a positive PRL response was obtained in all patients tested 8-14 months after treatment. A positive PRL response to methergoline and bromocriptine was observed post-operatively in the patients tested regardless of their basal PRL level. Data from this study indicate that surgically proven PRL-secreting adenomas are invariably associated with negative PRL responses to TRH and MCP. The normalization of the prolactin regulation after surgery points toward the intrapituitary localization of the lesion associated with PRL-secreting adenomas.     

Prediction of postoperative diabetes insipidus using morphological hyperintensity patterns in the pituitary stalk on magnetic resonance imaging after transsphenoidal surgery for sellar tumors

Purpose

Diabetes insipidus (DI) remains a complication of transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) for sellar and parasellar tumors. Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) appears as hyper intensity (HI) in the pituitary stalk and the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland on T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Its disappearance from the posterior lobe occurs with DI, indicating a lack of ADH. The appearance of HI in the pituitary stalk indicates disturbances in ADH transport.

Methods

This retrospective study included 172 patients undergoing TSS for sellar tumors at our institute from 2006 to 2014. Sequential T1-weighted MR images without enhancement were evaluated for HI in the pituitary stalk and the posterior lobe to assess the localization of ADH before and at intervals after TSS. DI was assessed pre- and postoperatively. HI in the pituitary stalk showed the following morphology: (1) ovoid in the distal end of the pituitary stalk (group A), (2) linear in the distal part of the pituitary stalk (group B), (3) linear in the whole pituitary stalk (group C).

Results

Preoperative DI occurred in 6 patients (3.5 %) with no HI observed in the posterior lobe. Postoperative DI was transient in 82 patients (47.7 %), and permanent in 11 (6.4 %). One week after surgery, HI was absent in the posterior lobe in 74 patients (43.0 %), and present in the pituitary stalk in 99 patients (57.6 %); both were significantly correlated with postoperative DI (p < 0.001). The absence of HI in the posterior lobe (A, 48.9 %; B, 68.3 %; C, 92.3 %), persistence of DI (A, 3.7 days; B, 45.9 days; C, 20.5 months), and duration until HI recovery in the posterior lobe (A, 3.6 months; B, 6.8 months; C, 22.9 months) were greatest in group C, followed by group B, and then group A. Fourteen group A patients did not have postoperative DI despite having HI in the pituitary stalk and the posterior lobe. Four group C patients developed permanent DI with persistence HI in the pituitary stalk.

Conclusion

HI in the pituitary stalk and its absence in the posterior lobe indicated postoperative DI, which was transient if HI was detected in the pituitary stalk. DI duration could be predicted by the length of HI in the pituitary stalk, which corresponded to the degree of ADH transport obstruction.