What is a pituitary tumor? Sometimes a number of pituitary cells grow too much and tumors are formed inside this gland, which is a pituitary tumor.... Except for a small percentage, all pituitary tumors are benign.... Due to the hormonal activity that this gland is responsible for, if there are different tumors inside this gland, you can observe things such as hormonal disorders... - Discharge of milk from the breast (galactorrhea)
- Disturbance in menstrual cycles that may be in the form of absence of menstruation (amenorrhea) or excessive bleeding during menstruation (menorrhagia).
- Infertility: due to the mixing of hormone concentrations, there may be a disturbance in the ovulation process and these people may experience infertility.
- Thyroid deficiency: these people may suffer from cold intolerance, obesity, excessive sleepiness, depression, constipation, dry skin, etc.
Hyperthyroidism: These people may suffer from heat intolerance, weight loss, insomnia, diarrhea, palpitations, anxiety, excessive sweating, etc.
- Increase in body size and increase in body size: due to the increase in growth hormone secretion, these people may face an increase in body size (especially in the arms and legs), which is called acromegaly.
- Adrenal insufficiency: These patients may suffer from adrenal or adrenal gland insufficiency, whose symptoms include low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, heartache, and weakness.
- Adrenal hyperactivity: these patients may have adrenal gland hyperactivity and the concentration of cortisol in the body of these people increases, in which case they suffer from osteoporosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.
Also, due to the compressive effect of the tumor on the adjacent structures, the patient may have symptoms such as headache or visual impairment.. Due to the compressive effect of the tumor on a structure called optic chiasm, the field of vision of these patients narrows from the sides.
### **Diagnosis of pituitary tumor**
If there are above symptoms and a pituitary tumor is suspected, MRI of the brain (MRI) can be used for diagnosis.
Pituitary tumor treatment
According to the type of tumor formed, different drugs are used to destroy these tumors. For example:
- To treat prolactinoma, which is a relatively common tumor in young women (with symptoms of milk leakage from the breasts and menstrual disorders).. you can use drugs such as cabergoline or bromocriptine.
- For the treatment of growth hormone-secreting tumors, drugs such as Octreotide can be used.
Another way to treat these tumors is to use radiation therapy (radiotherapy). X-rays can destroy these cells and thus reduce the size of the tumor.
Surgery to remove a pituitary tumor
If the size of the tumor is too large or does not respond well to the above-mentioned treatments, a surgical method can be used to remove the tumor. By removing the tumor, the patient's symptoms may completely disappear.
Surgery of the pituitary tumor through the nose
According to the structure of the pituitary gland (located at the base of the skull), endoscopic methods can be used to remove the tumor.
The process of pituitary tumor surgery is as follows: a tube is inserted into the nose and the roof of the nose is split to reach the pituitary gland and the desired tumor, and in this way it can be removed from the patient's body.. is used.
Postoperative complications of pituitary tumor
The pituitary gland is in a sensitive position and important vital structures pass around it, which may be damaged during surgery, which causes complications for the patient.
Some complications of pituitary tumor surgery are:
- Intracerebral bleeding: Due to the passage of the internal carotid artery and its branches near the pituitary gland, it may be damaged and intracerebral bleeding may occur.
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- Damage to cranial nerves: a number of cranial nerves pass near the pituitary gland and may be damaged.
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage: due to damage to the meninges (membranes covering the brain), cerebrospinal fluid may leak and exit the person's body through the nose. In such cases, the patient will have a headache, especially when standing.
-Infection: If the surgery is not performed in a sterile manner and the care after it is not performed correctly, the person will get an infection (in the form of meningitis and encephalitis).. Pituitary... it may decrease the level of one or all of the hormones produced... If the level of hormones decreases, the doctor will replace these hormones with the help of medicine.. For example: if the cortisol level decreases, the doctor will give the patient prednisolone and In case of hypothyroidism, he prescribes levothyroxine.
It should be noted that if the surgery is performed in a sterile and safe manner by a skilled surgeon, the probability of these complications will be much less.
Care after pituitary tumor surgery
Pituitary tumor surgery requires a series of precautions that will be explained below:
- If there is pain, you can use a series of pain relievers that the doctor will teach you how to use.
- In case of insomnia, you can use a series of sleeping medicines.. When using these medicines, you should avoid activities that require high concentration (such as driving).
- When sleeping, it is better to put your head a little higher than the ground level.... for this, you can put two pillows under your head.... continue this work for two weeks after the surgery.... This will reduce the swelling caused by the surgery to a great extent.
- In case of fever and neck stiffness and if your headache does not improve with painkillers, be sure to inform your doctor and inform him of your condition.
- You should avoid activities that cause pressure on the head and face for approximately 12 weeks.. For example, do not sneeze with your mouth closed.. This leads to nosebleeds.
- You usually feel weak and tired 3-4 weeks after the surgery, which is normal... It is better to walk for a few minutes every day and be active... But if you feel tired or have a headache, rest.
- Due to the presence of inflammation and congestion in the nose, it may be difficult and challenging to breathe for about 3 to 4 weeks... but if purulent secretions come out of the nose, inform your doctor.
- Bleeding from the nose (to the extent of spotting) is normal for about a few weeks... The maximum bleeding is in the first 3 days after the operation.... At this time, you should avoid draining nasal secretions with pressure.. because it will lead to re-bleeding.... Colorless and thin discharge (similar to water) is abnormal and can indicate cerebrospinal fluid leakage.. In this case, be sure to inform your doctor.
- Usually, to prevent infection (meningitis and encephalitis), the doctor prescribes some antibiotics for you.. Using these antibiotics can prevent infection to a great extent.... Regular changing of sterile bandages also plays a significant role in preventing infection.
Recovery period after pituitary tumor surgery
The recovery period after pituitary tumor surgery depends on many factors and can be very variable....usually after four weeks, your headache will be gone and you will be able to breathe easily through your nose...however, you may feel weak and tired for a while afterwards.
Cost of pituitary tumor surgery
Depending on the dimensions of the tumor, the chosen surgery and the insurance book you use, the cost of the surgery can be different... If you talk to the surgeon you want, you can find out the cost of your operation.
