Hydrocephalus caused by giant pituitary tumors: case series and guidelines for management.

Giant pituitary adenomas causing hydrocephalus are rare (Scarone P, Losa M, Mortini P, Giovanelli M. J Neurooncol 2006;76:51-4; Zikel OM, Atkinson JL, Hurley DL. Mayo Clinical Proc 1999;74:475-7). Guidelines for management of this rare condition are missing. Here we present a five-case series collected over 22 years. We suggest that where the two conditions coexist, the safest option is to insert an external ventricular drain prior to any definitive surgical intervention.