scholarly journals The surgical management of pituitary apoplexy with occluded internal carotid artery and hidden intracranial aneurysm: illustrative case

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-Dong Zhu ◽  
Sungel Xie ◽  
Ling Xu ◽  
Ming-Xiang Xie ◽  
Shun-Wu Xiao

BACKGROUND Approximately 0.6% to 12% of cases of pituitary adenoma are complicated by apoplexy, and nearly 6% of pituitary adenomas are comorbid aneurysms. Occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) with hidden intracranial aneurysm due to compression by an apoplectic pituitary adenoma is extremely rare; thus, the surgical strategy is also unknown. OBSERVATIONS The authors reported the case of a 48-year-old man with a large pituitary adenoma with coexisting ICA occlusion. After endoscopic transnasal surgery, repeated computed tomography angiography (CTA) demonstrated reperfusion of the left ICA but with a new-found aneurysm in the left posterior communicating artery; thus, interventional aneurysm embolization was performed. With stable recovery and improved neurological condition, the patient was discharged for rehabilitation training. LESSONS For patients with pituitary apoplexy accompanied by a rapid decrease of neurological conditions, emergency decompression through endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal resection can achieve satisfactory results. However, with occlusion of the ICA by enlarged pituitary adenoma or pituitary apoplexy, a hidden but rare intracranial aneurysm may be considered when patients are at high risk of such vascular disease as aneurysm, and gentle intraoperative manipulations are required. Performing CTA or digital subtraction angiography before and after surgery can effectively reduce the missed diagnosis of comorbidity and thus avoid life-threatening bleeding events from the accidental rupture of an aneurysm.

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-44
Author(s):  
О. I. Sharipov ◽  
M. A. Kutin ◽  
P. L. Kalinin

The study objective is to describe the removal of the pituitary adenoma from the posterior cranial fossa through endoscopic transsphenoidal trans-cavernous approach, when the main surgical corridor was the tumor-intact cavernous sinus. Materials and methods. A 55-year-old male patient with endosupraretrosellar endocrine-inactive pituitary adenoma was admitted to N.N. Burdenko Research Center of Neurosurgery. The patient had earlier undergone two surgeries for pituitary adenoma. Using the endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach, we found that these surgeries resulted in the formation of scar-altered adipose tissue in the sphenoid sinus and partly in the sella turcica; anatomical landmarks indicating the midline and the location of the internal carotid arteries were absent. We formed an access to both retro- and suprasellar portions of the tumor between the sella turcica and cavernous segment of the internal carotid artery (through the cavernous sinus); then we dissected anterior and posterior walls of the sinus and revealed a soft capsule-free pituitary adenoma, which was completely removed by a vacuum aspirator. The skull base defect was repaired using the multilayer technique with autologous tissues. Results. After surgery, neurological status and visual functions did not change. In the postoperative period, we observed no oculomotor disorders, pituitary insufficiency, diabetes insipidus, or nasal liquorrhea. Follow-up computed tomography scans revealed no signs of intracranial complications or obvious residual tumor tissue. Magnetic resonance imaging 4 month postoperatively demonstrated small laterosellar fragments of the tumor in the sella turcica. The patient was further followed up. Conclusion. Cavernous sinus is a natural anatomical corridor providing access to the structures of the posterior cranial fossa and interpeduncular cistern. The main risk (damage to the cavernous segment of the internal carotid artery) can be minimized by using intraoperative dopplerography and visual control of all manipulations.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. E1202-E1202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Torres ◽  
Ruben Dammers ◽  
Ali F. Krisht

Abstract OBJECTIVE Intracavernous internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms can extend into the sella and simulate pituitary adenomas. However, they are rarely associated with pituitary apoplexy. We present a rare case of bilateral intracavernous ICA aneurysms simulating a sellar mass with the clinical picture of a pituitary apoplexy. CLINICAL PRESENTATION An 82-year-old woman presented with a classic case of pituitary apoplexy with a history of headache, nausea, vomiting, and diplopia. She was found to have an intrasellar mass simulating a large and invasive pituitary adenoma. The patient had a medical history positive for breast cancer. INTERVENTION Because of the presentation with apoplexy and the possibility of metastatic breast cancer or pituitary adenoma, the patient was explored transsphenoidally to obtain pathological verification and possibly resect the tumor. Unusual intraoperative findings led to a microDoppler evaluation, suggesting a vascular lesion. Intraoperatively, an angiogram confirmed the presence of bilateral ICA giant aneurysms involving the ICA intracavernous component extending into the sella turcica. The patient refused further treatment. CONCLUSION The present case indicates that an intrasellar ICA aneurysm can be misdiagnosed as a macroadenoma and even present through pituitary apoplexy. When treating intrasellar masses with the slightest suspicion of a nonpituitary origin, further workup should be considered. The possibility of a vascular lesion simulating a pituitary adenoma should always be considered by neurosurgeons and ear, nose, and throat surgeons operating in the sellar region.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwah A. Elsehety ◽  
Hussein A. Zeineddine ◽  
Andrew D. Barreto ◽  
Spiros L. Blackburn

BACKGROUND Large pituitary adenomas can rarely cause compression of the cavernous internal carotid artery (ICA) due to chronic tumor compression or invasion. Here, the authors present a case of pituitary apoplexy causing acute bilateral ICA occlusion with resultant stroke. Our middle-aged patient presented with sudden vision loss and experienced rapid deterioration requiring intubation. Computed tomography (CT) angiography revealed a large pituitary mass causing severe stenosis of the bilateral ICAs. CT perfusion revealed a significant perfusion delay in the anterior circulation. The patient was taken for cerebral angiography, and balloon angioplasty was attempted with no improvement in arterial flow. Resection of the tumor was then performed, with successful restoration of blood flow. Despite restoration of luminal patency, the patient experienced bilateral ICA infarcts. OBSERVATIONS Pituitary apoplexy can present as an acute stroke due to flow-limiting carotid compression. Balloon angioplasty is ineffective for the treatment of this type of compression. Surgical removal of the tumor restores the flow and luminal caliber of the ICA. LESSONS Pituitary apoplexy can be a rare presentation of acute stroke and should be managed with immediate surgical decompression rather than attempted angioplasty in order to restore blood flow and prevent the development of cerebral ischemia.


2020 ◽  
Vol 133 (5) ◽  
pp. 1382-1387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Hsin Wang ◽  
Stefan Lieber ◽  
Ming-Ying Lan ◽  
Eric W. Wang ◽  
Juan C. Fernandez-Miranda ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEInjury to the internal carotid artery (ICA) is the most critical complication of endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery. Packing with a crushed muscle graft at the injury site has been an effective management technique to control bleeding without ICA sacrifice. Obtaining the muscle graft has typically required access to another surgical site, however. To address this concern, the authors investigated the application of an endonasally harvested longus capitis muscle patch for the management of ICA injury.METHODSOne colored silicone-injected anatomical specimen was dissected to replicate the surgical access to the nasopharynx and the stepwise dissection of the longus capitis muscle in the nasopharynx. Two representative cases were selected to illustrate the application of the longus capitis muscle patch and the relevance of clinical considerations.RESULTSA suitable muscle graft from the longus capitis muscle could be easily and quickly harvested during endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery. In the illustrative cases, the longus capitis muscle patch was successfully used for secondary prevention of pseudoaneurysm formation following primary bleeding control on the site of ICA injury.CONCLUSIONSNasopharyngeal harvest of a longus capitis muscle graft is a safe and practical method to manage ICA injury during endoscopic endonasal surgery.


2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (6) ◽  
pp. e759-e764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hélène Cebula ◽  
Almaz Kurbanov ◽  
Lee A. Zimmer ◽  
Pavel Poczos ◽  
James L. Leach ◽  
...  

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