Background: Pituitary tumors surgery is increasingly performed via endoscopic transsphenoidal approach (TSP). This study describes outcomes of TSP surgery in the United States.
Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of adult patients with pituitary adenoma was performed using the Nationwide Readmissions Database, 2010-2015.
Results: A total of 5891 patients were identified. The average age was 51.29 ± 0.29 years. The risk of postoperative epistaxis, diabetes insipidus, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, and other general postoperative complications was 0.71%, 10.20%, 8.35%, and 2.37%, respectively. Independent risk factors of CSF leak included: age <65-year, male, body mass index ≥25, and multiple comorbidities (p < 0.001 each). The prevalence of CSF leak was not associated with hospital TSP volume and teaching status.
Conclusion: This study provides a national epidemiological perspective on TSP in the United States. The risk of postoperative CSF leak appears to be associated with intrinsic patient factors rather than resource and expertise availability.
Keywords: cerebrospinal fluid leak; complications; epidemiology; pituitary adenoma; surgery; transsphenoidal.
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