Endoscopic Orientation of Juxta-pituitary Carotid in Transsphenoidal Approaches: Critical Considerations for Clinical Applications

Abstract Introduction In sphenoid sinuses with ill-defined carotid bony landmarks, accidental injury of the internal carotid artery (ICA) remains one of the most challenging complications, which is particularly reported in the endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approaches (EETAs). Objectives To describe an anatomical model for the endoscopic orientation of the juxta-pituitary segment of the ICA in relation to the lateral opticocarotid recess (OCR) as a nearby bony landmark. Methods Dissection was performed progressively, simulating the EETA, in twenty fresh adult cadavers. After reducing the posterior and lateral walls of the sphenoid sinuses, various measurements were taken from both lateral OCRs to "contact points" on the juxta-pituitary segment of the ICA and lateral margins of the pituitary gland. Results The current results have enabled us to divide the region between the lateral OCRs into 3 compartments: 2 lateral parasellar compartments contain juxta-pituitary segments of the ICA with a mean width of 8 mm and a narrow range from 7 mm to 10 mm; and a central intercarotid sellar compartment represents the safe region for bone drilling, showing widely variable widths ranging from 9 mm to 20 mm. In all specimens, the variation in the width of the intercarotid compartment correlated with the distance between both lateral OCRs. Conclusion The present study improves surgeon awareness of the variations in the course of the ICA through the EETA along sphenoid sinuses with ill-defined bony landmarks. An appreciation of the measurements taken in the present study can help in operative training, and can also provide a base for future studies to confirm ICA courses associated with a higher risk of injury.

Endoscopic Orientation of Juxta-pituitary Carotid in Transsphenoidal Approaches: Critical Considerations for Clinical Applications.

Introduction In sphenoid sinuses with ill-defined carotid bony landmarks, accidental injury of the internal carotid artery (ICA) remains one of the most challenging complications, which is particularly reported in the endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approaches (EETAs). Objectives To describe an anatomical model for the endoscopic orientation of the juxta-pituitary segment of the ICA in relation to the lateral opticocarotid recess (OCR) as a nearby bony landmark. Methods Dissection was performed progressively, simulating the EETA, in twenty fresh adult cadavers. After reducing the posterior and lateral walls of the sphenoid sinuses, various measurements were taken from both lateral OCRs to "contact points" on the juxta-pituitary segment of the ICA and lateral margins of the pituitary gland. Results The current results have enabled us to divide the region between the lateral OCRs into 3 compartments: 2 lateral parasellar compartments contain juxta-pituitary segments of the ICA with a mean width of 8 mm and a narrow range from 7 mm to 10 mm; and a central intercarotid sellar compartment represents the safe region for bone drilling, showing widely variable widths ranging from 9 mm to 20mm. In all specimens, the variation in the width of the intercarotid compartment correlated with the distance between both lateral OCRs. Conclusion The present study improves surgeon awareness of the variations in the course of the ICA through the EETA along sphenoid sinuses with ill-defined bony landmarks. An appreciation of the measurements taken in the present study can help in operative training, and can also provide a base for future studies to confirm ICA courses associated with a higher risk of injury.

Endoscopic Orientation of Juxta-Pituitary Carotid in Transsphenoidal Approaches: Critical Considerations for Clinical Applications.

Accidental injury of the internal carotid artery (ICA) remains one of the most challenging complications reported in the endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approaches (EETA) particularly, in sphenoid sinuses with ill-defined carotid bony landmarks. The purpose of this study was to describe an anatomical model for the endoscopic orientation of juxta-pituitary segment of ICA in relation to the lateral optico-carotid recess (OCR) as a nearby bony landmark. Cadaveric dissection was conducted progressively in twenty fresh adult cadavers simulating the EETA. After reducing posterior and lateral walls of sphenoid sinuses, various measurements were taken from both lateral OCRs to "contact points" of the juxta-pituitary segment of ICA and lateral margins of the pituitary gland. Current results have enabled us to divide the region between lateral OCRs into three compartments. Two lateral parasellar compartments contain juxta-pituitary segments of ICA showing a mean width of 8 mm; with a narrow range of 7-10 mm; and a central inter-carotid sellar compartment represents the safe region for bone drilling showing widely variable widths ranging between 9 to 20 mm. In all specimens; variation in the width of the inter-carotid compartment correlated with the distance between both lateral OCRs. This study improves surgeons' awareness of the ICA course variations in the EETA through sphenoid sinuses with ill-defined bony landmarks. An appreciation of the measurements gathered from this study can help in operative training, and can also provide a base for future studies to confirm ICA courses associated with higher risk of injury.

Endoscopic transsellar transdiaphragmatic approach for extensive suprasellar pituitary macroadenomas.

OBJECTIVE: In pituitary macroadenomas with extensive suprasellar extension (SSE), suprasellar region can be approached by extending exposure either anteriorly by adding bone removal of the tuberculum sellae and planum sphenoidal or posteriorly from inside the sellar cavity through diaphragma sella. The later approach has been rapidly regressed in favor of the anteriorly extended approach, mainly due to the inadequate angled illumination. Benefiting from the continuous evolution of visualization, authors, in current series, tried to revive this technique in form of pure endoscopic trans-sellar trans-diaphragmatic approach (ETSDA) for extra-capsular resection of pituitary macroadenomas with extensive SSE. METHODS: A prospective review including 10 patients of pituitary macroadenomas with extensive SSE more than 10 mm underwent extra-capsular resection via the ETSDA. The detailed technical nuances and surgical outcome of this approach were evaluated. RESULTS: Six of 10 patients had SSE > 10 mm and 4 patients had SSE > 20 mm, grade B and C, respectively. Gross total resection was achieved in all cases. Postoperatively, visual field deficit was ameliorated to varying degrees in all patients. There were no serious intraoperative complications, and the clinically overt postoperative CSF rhinorrhea was not observed in any case. CONCLUSION: Extra-capsular resection of pituitary macroadenomas with extensive SSE can be effectively and safely achieved using the ETSDA. Thus, it may be more preferable to the anteriorly extended approach that may potentially increase the risk for postoperative CSF rhinorrhea.

A comparison between collaborative and single surgeon approach in endoscopic endonasal surgery to sphenoid sinus.

PURPOSE: Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (EETS) requires abundant collaborative work between neurosurgeon and ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeon. In low-volume centers, however, the surgery may be carried out completely and solely by a neurosurgeon. The current study evaluates the differences in both technique and complications in the approach to the sphenoid sinus for endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) performed solely by a single neurosurgeon compared to collaborative effort between neurosurgery and otolaryngology. METHODS: The study comprises 50 consecutive patients with intra-sellar pituitary lesions undergoing EETS. Half of the patients were operated completely by single neurosurgeon (group A) and the other half by collaboration between single ENT surgeon, as a primary surgeon during nasal step, and the neurosurgeon (group B). Both groups were assessed intra-operatively as to operative technique, average time of EEA to sphenoid sinus, and presence of endonasal structural difficulties and complications. RESULTS: A significant difference was recorded between both groups regarding average time of EEA to sphenoid sinus (P < 0.001) and incidence of intraoperative nasal complications (P = 0.006). There was a difference between ENT surgeon and neurosurgeon adopting the same approach to sphenoid sinus. Sphenoid sinus approaches from group B characterized by their short duration (mean 10 vs 22 min) and low incidence of intraoperative endonasal complications (4.8% vs 28%). CONCLUSION: Study results emphasized the necessity of collaboration between neurosurgeon and ENT surgeon in endoscopic endonasal approaches, to efficiently deal with intraoperative endonasal difficulties and complications which pose difference for both surgeons performing the same surgical procedure.