Abstract

Background: Endoscopic endonasal approaches for pituitary adenomas are associated with improved clinical and quality of life (QOL) outcomes. However, the necessity of middle turbinate resection to optimize surgical exposure remains controversial, particularly regarding its potential impact on postoperative nasal and tumor-related QOL. Methods: This prospective cohort study included adult patients undergoing endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal resection of pituitary adenomas between 2014 and 2021 at a tertiary center. Patients were divided into those undergoing bilateral middle turbinectomy and those with turbinate preservation. Tumor-related QOL was assessed using the Anterior Skull Base Disease-Specific Questionnaire (ASBS-Q), and nasal QOL using the Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22), at baseline and multiple postoperative time points up to >6 months. Clinical and surgical variables were collected and compared between groups. Results: Our study included 73 patients, 51 (69.9.%) of whom underwent middle turbinate resection and 22 (30.1%) who did not. The difference in overall ASBS-Q scores did not alter significantly between both groups during the long-term postoperative course (>6 months). SNOT-22 score differences also did not alter significantly throughout the entire postoperative course. Conclusion: Middle turbinectomy during endoscopic endonasal resection of pituitary adenomas was not associated in our cohort to adversely affect long-term nasal or tumor-related QOL.

IPC Classification

Keywords