Neurosurgical management of acromegaly. Results in 82 patients treated between 1972 and 1977

J Neurosurg. 1979 Apr;50(4):454-61. doi: 10.3171/jns.1979.50.4.0454.

Abstract

A consecutive series of 82 acromegalic patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery during a 5-year period is presented. Preoperative and postoperative values for human growth hormone (HGH) were available in 80 cases. Microadenomas were present in 18 patients with a mean preoperative HGH value of 25.2 ng/ml, diffuse adenomas in 39 patients with mean of 53.8 ng/ml, and invasive adenomas in 25 with mean of 68.0 ng/ml. There was no operative mortality. The results reflected the classification of the tumors, with apparent cures accomplished in 87.5% of previously untreated patients with microadenoma, all of whom had anterior pituitary function preserved. The percentages of apparent cures in cases of diffuse adenoma (68%) and invasive adenoma (54%) were much less satisfactory. Transsphenoidal microsurgery is capable of achieving good results, particularly in patients with microadenoma.

MeSH terms

  • Acromegaly / blood
  • Acromegaly / physiopathology
  • Acromegaly / therapy*
  • Adenoma / blood
  • Adenoma / metabolism
  • Adenoma / surgery*
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Growth Hormone / blood
  • Growth Hormone / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Methods
  • Microsurgery
  • Middle Aged
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / blood
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Sphenoid Bone

Substances

  • Growth Hormone