Clinical characteristics
The demographics, radiological features and endocrine functions are
summarised in Table 1. The mean ages of the transseptal and transnasal
group were 59.2 ± 14.6 and 56.3 ± 15.8 years old. There were 11 male and
14 female subjects in the transseptal group, and 14 male and 11 female
subjects in the transnasal group. Age and sex were not significantly
different between the two groups.
The mean tumor size in the transseptal group was 2.36 ± 0.79 cm, while
that in the transnasal group was 2.32 ± 0.86 cm. The numbers of lesions
classified by Hardy classification from I to IV were 0 (0%), 12 (48%),
9 (36%) and 4 (16%) in the transseptal group and 4 (16%), 9 (36%),
10 (40%) and 2 (8%) in the transnasal group. The number of tumors with
regional invasiveness, that is, parasellar, suprasellar and infrasellar
extension, were 23 (92%), 21 (84%), and 4 (16%), respectively, in the
transseptal group and 19 (76%), 19 (76%), and 10 (40%), respectively,
in the transnasal group. None of the radiological features were
significantly different between the two groups.
Preoperative hypopituitarism was noted only in 4 (16%) patients in both
groups. Five (20%) patients in the transseptal group and 9 (36%)
patients in the transnasal group had hypersecretion of hormones. The
preoperative hormonal statuses and the distribution of hypersecreting
hormones were not significantly different between the two groups.