Transsphenoidal surgery is a type of surgery in which an endoscope or surgical instruments are inserted into part of the brain by going through the nose and the sphenoid bone (a butterfly-shaped bone forming the anterior inferior portion of the brain case) into the sphenoidal sinus cavity. Transsphenoidal surgery is used to remove tumors of the pituitary gland. (Such tumours, although within the skull, are outside the brain itself).

The transsphenoidal approach was first attempted by Hermann Schloffer in 1907.^[1] Use of the procedure grew in the 1950s and 60s with the introduction of intraoperative fluoroscopy and operating microscope.^[1]

• Pituitary adenoma
• Endoscopic endonasal surgery, particularly Surgical approaches to the anterior skull base

• Transsphenoidal surgery entry in the public domain NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms.
• Endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection (IPG32) – National Institute for Clinical Excellence, United Kingdom.

 This article incorporates public domain material from Dictionary of Cancer Terms. U.S. National Cancer Institute.

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