Vasospasm after transsphenoidal pituitary surgery: A case report and review of the literature.

ABSTRACT

Vasospasm, so commonly described after aneurysmal rupture, is very rare after surgery for brain tumors. Its occurrence after transsphenoidal surgery is extremely uncommon with only three cases reported as per the authors' review of the literature. The authors report a case of pituitary macroadenoma in a 34-year-old female who underwent transsphenoidal tumor decompression and developed angiographically documented vasospasm during the course of her illness. The rarity of the occurrence of vasospasm after transsphenoidal surgery makes its management very challenging, frequently leading to a delay in diagnosis and a poor outcome. The key to successful management is a high index of suspicion and early proactive management.