Approaches to the sellar and parasellar region: A retrospective comparisonof the endonasal-transsphenoidal and sublabial-transsphenoidal approaches

Tumors of the hypophysis are often managed surgically by the neurosurgeon a nd the otolaryngologist. Three widely used anterior routes to the sella are the endonasal (transcolumellar) transsphenoidal, sublabial transsphenoidal , and transethmoidal approaches. We reviewed the charts of 60 patients who underwent surgery, 42 transcolumellar and 18 sublabial, for sellar and para sellar adenomas and compared the two transsphenoidal approaches. None of th e patients in our study underwent the transethmoidal approach. Furthermore, 26 of the patients underwent an extensive interview to assess postoperativ e progress. Clinically, neither approach had any significant complications, and none of the patients in either group reported significant postoperativ e morbidity. On the basis of these results, we believe there is minimal dif ference in patient subjective reports and objective morbidity when comparin g the sublabial and transcolumellar approaches.