A regional Australasian experience of extended endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery for craniopharyngioma: Progression of the mentoring model

Comparing Surgical Approaches for Craniopharyngioma Resection Among Adults and Children: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Craniopharyngioma treatment often necessitates surgical resection. Conventional approaches, such as transcranial and transsphenoidal approaches, are predominantly used. However, a recently adopted supraorbital approach may be more efficacious. Thus, this meta-analysis and systematic review aimed to compare the efficacy of the transcranial, transsphenoidal, and supraorbital approaches for resection and treatment of craniopharyngiomas.

METHODS

This study was performed following PRISMA guidelines. Analyses were performed according to study design: (1) analyses for studies comparing several surgical approaches; and (2) analyses of all included studies. Random effects meta-analysis models were used to pool odds ratios among studies comparing several approaches. Similarly, categorical meta-regression models were used to examine the effect of surgical approach as a covariate of outcome data for all studies. Statistics were performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (CMA 3.3, Biostat, Englewood, NJ) (significance set at P < 0.05).

RESULTS

Patients were well-matched for age, sex, and preoperative comorbidities between groups stratified by surgical approach. Analyses including 22 studies that compared several approaches demonstrated that the transsphenoidal group had a greater occurrence of postoperative visual improvement (P < 0.0001), lesser occurrence of visual deterioration (P < 0.0001), and lower tumor recurrence rate (P = 0.015) compared with the transcranial group. Only 2 studies compared the supraorbital approach to another approach, limiting analyses. Analyses including all studies demonstrated that the supraorbital group did not differ to either the transcranial or transsphenoidal group for any examined variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggests that the transsphenoidal approach is associated with improved clinical outcomes for craniopharyngioma resection. There are limited data regarding the supraorbital approach, warranting future investigation.

Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach for craniopharyngioma: A case report

Thanks to the rapid development and progress of endoscopic technology, the endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach has become one of the best surgical methods for resection of sellar and suprasellar tumors. The craniopharyngioma is usually located in the sellar region or suprasellar region, which is suitable for resection through the endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach. The present report describes 21 cases of craniopharyngioma treated by endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Chongqing General Hospital from February 2014 to September 2019. The characteristics of patients and tumors, including clinical symptoms, preoperative magnetic resonance imaging, intraoperative conditions, as well as postoperative and follow-up outcomes were evaluated. The main clinical symptoms were headache in 15 cases, visual deficiency in 13 cases and growth retardation in two cases. All 21 patients with craniopharyngioma underwent endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery. Of these, 20 patients achieved gross total resection and one case achieved subtotal resection. After surgery, headache symptoms improved in 11 patients without deterioration and the vision of 11 patients improved without deterioration. The primary postoperative complications were pituitary deficiency in eight cases and permanent diabetes insipidus in five cases. The patients were followed up from one to 52 months post-operation. There was no recurrence in all patients during the follow-up period. The endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach is a safe and effective resection for craniopharyngioma. Moreover, the endoscopic endonasal trans-sphenoidal approach is one of the preferred surgical methods for treatment of sellar or suprasellar tumor.

Endonasal endoscopic resection of suprasellar craniopharyngioma: A retrospective single-center case series

INTRODUCTION

Endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) has recently been proposed as an option for resection of primary and recurrent suprasellar craniopharyngioma. However, surgical outcome has not yet been fully evaluated, especially in regards to recurrent cases.

METHODS

We analysed our institution (Sir Charles Gairdner University Hospital, Perth, Australia) case-series retrospectively. There were 16 patients operated through an endonasal endoscopic approach from February 2014 to February 2019 for suprasellar craniopharyngiomas. There were 14 primary, and two recurrent lesions. Extent of resection, complications, visual and endocrinological outcomes are presented.

RESULTS

Mean age of the patients was 42.9 ± 19.3 years old, with 56% female. The most common clinical symptoms were headaches (9 patients, 56%) and bi-temporal hemianopsia (9 patients, 56%), followed by unilateral optic neuropathy (5 cases, 31%), memory loss (1 case, 6%), hydrocephalus (1 case, 6%), delayed growth and puberty (1 case, 6%), and secondary amenorrhoea (1 case, 6%). Only two cases (12%) initially presented with normal visual function. Gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in 10/16 patients (62.5%), with subtotal resection (STR) in the remainder. Visual symptoms improved in 13/16 patients (81%) and remained unchanged in 3/16 patients (19%). Most common complications included new endocrinological deficit in nine patients (56%), mostly diabetes insipidus, and cerebrospinal fluid leak requiring a new intervention in three patients (19%). There was one mortality case (complicated meningitis, stroke and vasospasm). Mean follow-up time was 22.05 ± 14 months and three patients (19%) had a recurrence of the disease during this period and were referred for radiation therapy.

CONCLUSION

Endonasal endoscopic approach is a safe and effective surgical option for both primary and recurrent suprasellar craniopharyngiomas.