Aim: The aim of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the 25 patients (15 female, 10 male, mean age 43.24 ± 15.44
years) with pituitary macroadenomas; 12 clinically non-functioning tumors (CNFTs), 6 prolactinomas, 5 acromegalies,
and 2 craniopharingiomas attempted to our Neurosurgery and Endocrinology Clinics.
Methods: The patients were evaluated demographically and endocrinologically with the nature of the tumor and
operation modalities.
Results: Male dominancy was defined in CNFTs (58.3%), but in acromegalies (80%), and prolactinomas (66.6%) most
of the patients were female. Both of the craniopharingiomas were women as well. Headache was the predominant
(52%) complaint for all the cases, visual disturbances (36%) and hypogonadal symptoms (16%) were the others.
Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and hypopituitarism were the most frequent endocrinologic abnormalities at
admission. Eighteen of the patients were operated. In 10 (40%) of them transsphenoidal surgery, and in 8 (32%)
transcranial surgery was performed. The recurrence rate was 22.2%. Hypopituitarism was increased up to 50% (n=9)
from 28%, and sustained diabetes insipidus from 4% to 27.8% (n=5) postoperatively.
Conclusion: Despite new treatment modalities in functioning adenomas promise expectations, pituitary
macroadenomas seem to sustain as a dilemma especially for the endocrinologic dysfunctions in regards of tumor mass
effect or operation sequels.
Key Words: Non-functioning pituitary adenomas, Prolactinomas, Acromegaly, Craniopharingiomas
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