• Jinli Jiang, Shiyu Feng, Yanyang Zhang, Xiaolei Chen, Xiaodong Ma, Tao Zhou, Bo Bu, and Xinguang Yu.
• Department of Neurosurgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
• Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2015 Mar 24; 95 (11): 841-4.

ObjectiveTo explore the clinical features, surgical approaches and postoperative outcomes of craniopharyngiomas.MethodsA series of 169 consecutive cases of craniopharyngiomas undergoing microsurgical resection via various approaches at our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 102 males and 67 females with a mean age of 34.1 (3-74) years. The operations were performed via unilateral subfrontal (n = 11), frontopterional (n = 69), anterior interhemispheric (n = 57), transcallosal (n = 9), transsphenoidal (n = 14), transcortical (n = 2), transventricular-foramen with neuroendoscope (n = 5) and combined (n = 2). Postoperative measures included the managements of blood sodium disorder and diabetes insipidus. During follow-ups, they were monitored for residual or recurrent tumor by postoperative contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every 1-3 months.ResultsThe removals of lesions were total (n = 124, 73.4%), subtotal (n = 32, 18.9%) and partial (n = 13, 7.7%). And 104 cases had an intact preservation of pituitary stalk and stalk was partially preserved in 21 patients. Visual improvement (n = 49) and deterioration (n = 21) were achieved. The major postoperative complications included diabetes insipidus (n = 101) and electrolyte disorder (n = 89). And 26 patients had recurrence during a follow-up period of 26.1 (3-66) months.ConclusionSelection of appropriate approaches according to morphological characteristics is essential for successful microsurgery of craniopharyngiomas.

22 keywords...

hide…