Cushing's disease: management by transsphenoidal pituitary microsurgery.

Over 15 yr, 24 patients underwent transsphenoidal pituitary surgery for Cushing's disease with a median follow-up of 12 months. Cures included 7 patients with normal sella turcicas (6 microadenomas), 6 patients with focal depressions (6 microadenomas) of the sella (grade I), and 3 patients (3 adenomas) with enlarged sellas (grade II). Three patients with sella destruction (grades III and IV), 2 with normal sellas, and 1 with focal sella depression (grade I) were not cured. Two apparent cures (microadenomas) recurred. Tumor histology revealed 19 basophilic adenomas; electron microscopy (14 tumors) and immunochemical studies (10 tumors) revealed only ACTH cells. Circadian rhythm returned in 6 cured patients. Impotence (in 2), amenorrhea (in 7), and galactorrhea (in 3) resolved in affected cured patients. The major surgical complication was hemorrhage at the operative site (3 patients). Transsphenoidal pituitary surgery is a valuable method for managing Cushing's disease in many patients.