Diagnosis and treatment of pituitary adenoma in children and adolescents

Objective: To investigate the diagnosis and treatment of pituitary adenoma in children and adolescents. Methods: The clinical materials of 34 children and adolescent patients with pituitary adenoma who were treated in our neurosurgery department between January 1994 and December 2007 were retrospectively analyzed,including their selected surgical approaches,postoperative conditions and follow-up data. Results: The age of 14 boy patients and 20 girl patients ranged from 9 to 18 with an average age of 16.1.32 patients were operated by transsphenoidal approach and 2 patients by frontotemporal approach.Total resection was achieved in 32 cases（94.1%） and subtotal resection in 2 cases（5.9%）.There were no serious postoperative complications.32 patients were followed up with an average follow-up period of 38 months.Among them,29 patients are leading independent and active lives. Conclusion: Transsphenoidal microsurgery is a major treatment for pituitary adenoma in children and adolescents.A long follow-up period is very important.The patients with recurrences can be reoperated.