Postoperative Care from the Rhinologic and Neurological Perspectives

Abstract

Postoperative care of patients undergoing endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery requires a multidisciplinary team approach, capitalizing on the complementary knowledge and skills of surgical and medical disciplines, including neurosurgery, otolaryngology, endocrinology, ophthalmology, and radiology. In the early postoperative period, endocrinologic problems and cerebrospinal fluid leak are the major drivers of morbidity and need for readmission or revision surgery. With a team-based approach, most complications can be mitigated with a low risk of serious complications and excellent quality of life. Patients often require long-term postoperative follow-up for surveillance and management of neurologic, endocrinologic, and sinonasal concerns.

Keywords: CSF leak; Diabetes insipidus; Epistaxis; Hyponatremia; Pituitary; Postoperative management; Transsphenoidal surgery.