Transsphenoidal pituitary surgery: comparison of two sellar reconstruction techniques and their effect on postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage

Transsphenoidal surgery is a common procedure in patients with pituitary adenomas. Several techniques have been previously postulated to achieve sufficient sellar reconstruction to avoid cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage. We analyzed our institutional database concerning two sellar reconstruction techniques and development of postoperative CSF leakage. From 2009 to 2015, 255 patients underwent transsphenoidal pituitary surgery at our institution. According to the technique used for sellar reconstruction, patients were divided into two groups: (1) with muscle patch and fibrin glue and (2) with fibrin glue alone. Postoperative CSF leakage occurred in 7% of the patients. Occurrence of postoperative CSF leakage did not differ significantly between both sellar reconstruction techniques (p = 0.2). Patients who underwent sellar reconstruction with fibrin glue alone had significantly shorter operating time (p < 0.0001), as well as shorter length of hospital stay (p = 0.01). On multivariate analysis, occurrence of intraoperative CSF leakage was the only predictor for postoperative CSF leakage (p < 0.0001). The present data suggests that sellar reconstruction after transsphenoidal pituitary surgery seems to be equally effective in preventing postoperative CSF leakage. However, the use of fibrin glue alone results in shorter hospital stay and operating time without exposing patients to more frequent CSF leakage.