ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the overall effect of transsphenoidal microsurgery for pituitary adenomas in recent 5 years and to discuss the surgical technique, application of new technology and postoperative follow-up results.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical presentation, image characteristics, endocrinal findings, pathological types, tumor removal percentage, postoperative complication and follow-up of 1 462 patients with pituitary adenomas who underwent the transsphenoidal microsurgery from 1997 to 2002 were analysed retrospectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Total rate of tumor removal for the patients achieved 97.0% in the patients with Hardy I adenomas, 95.2% with Hardy II, 90.5% with Hardy III, and 47.4% with Hardy IV respectively. A significant postoperative improvement both in clinical symptoms and endocrinal parameters was achieved. The tumor recurrence rate was 0.3%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>With the improvement of microsurgical technique and application of novel technology, the indication of transsphenoidal microsurgery for pituitary adenomas was increasingly extended. Endoscope and(/or) neuronavigation-assisted microsurgery via transsphenoidal approach should be of the first choice for the treatment of pituitary adenomas. The routine postoperative radiotherapy is not required for patients with total tumor removal.</p>