ENDOSCOPIC ENDONASAL TRANSSPHENOIDAL APPROACH TO THE SELLA - TOWARDS FUNCTIONAL ENDOSCOPIC PITUITARY SURGERY (FEPS)

Standard microscopical transsphenoidal surgery is used world-wide in m ost sellar lesions, but continuing technological progress leaves room for further possibilities. The authors have employed a slightly modifi ed Jho-Carrau technique for endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal remov al of pituitary lesions. This approach has been successfully used in 1 5 consecutive patients; the preliminary results are reported, The adva ntages and the limitations of this technique are discussed and compare d to standard transsphenoidal surgery. In consideration of the low inv asiveness of this approach and of the improved respect for the inner n ose and sinus structures, the authors suggest the new term of Function al Endoscopic Pituitary Surgery (FEPS) to characterize this simple one -nostril endoscopic endonasal procedure.