Rhinosurgical experience with the transseptal‐transsphenoidal hypophysectomy: Technique and long‐term results

Many modifications of extracranial transsphenoidal hy‐pophysectomy exist, but knowledge of the rhinological implications of these procedures is rare. At our institution the transseptal approach is performed as a joint rhinosurgical and neurosurgical procedure. Three hundred nineteen patients were operated on from 1979 to 1984,113 of whom had a rhinological follow‐up for 5 years. Most of the complications were asymptomatic. Thirteen percent of the patients had septal perforations, 3.5% epistaxis, and 36% complained of mild dryness of the nose. An improvement in breathing was noted in 24% of the patients. There was no difference in rhinological complaints between patients who underwent the sublabial approach and those operated via a transnasal approach. Twenty percent of the patients operated on with the sublabial approach had additional temporary complaints in the upper lip; therefore, the transnasal‐transsep‐tal approach is currently our procedure of choice.