Twelve cases of histologically confirmed pituitary adenomas, classified as Grade 1 to 2B, underwent transsphenoidal surgery. Sixty-six percent of the tumors were functioning. Four of the tumors were microadenomas and 8 were macroadenomas, 5 of which had supresellar extensions. There was no operative mortality. The lone morbidity was that of a chronic subdural hematoma that was succesfully evacuated. The procedure provided a more rapid and direct access to the pituitary gland, better differentiation of the tumor from the gland, less trauma to the patient and less probability of injury to nearby structures. Visual function improvement and endocrinologic care rates were excellent.

Human ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Pituitary Gland ; Morbidity ; Probability

Forty-seven surgically confirmed cases of brain abscess treated from 1988 to 1992 are described. The most common cause was chronic ear infection with abscesses in the cerebellum and the temporo-parietal area. Patients in the second and third decade of life were most frequently affected. Clinical manifestation at the time of admission were headaches, vomiting and fever. Bacteriology revealed a predominance of microaerophilic streptococcus and staphylococcus aureus among the aerobes and peptostreptococcus sp. among the anaerobes. Majority were sensitive to Penicillin G and Chloramphenicol. Computerized tomographic scanning was the sole diagnostic procedure done with 100% accuracy. Excision was done on well encapsulated abscesses. The non-encapsulated ones were aspirated and drained. The overall mortality rate was 15 percent.(Author)

Human ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Adolescent ; Child ; Child Preschool ; Infant ; Infant Newborn ; Staphylococcus Aureus ; Peptostreptococcus ; Brain Abscess ; Staphylococcal Infections ; Penicillin G ; Headache ; Otitis