The brain is an extremely complex and delicate organ. Even after hundreds of years of study, scientists still don’t understand nearly all of its secrets. So you can imagine, cutting into an organ that intricate is always full of risk. However, there are some conditions that simply can’t be treated in any other way. One of the areas of the brain that almost always requires extensive treatment is the pituitary gland.
The pituitary is a small, but extremely important gland located in front of the brain. It is responsible for controlling a number of crucial bodily functions, including growth, temperature, appetite, and even sleep patterns. Unfortunately, the pituitary gland is as prone to cancers and malfunctions as any other part of the body, often with devastating effects. Surgery on the pituitary is often required, and in the past, this has meant an incredibly invasive procedure that caused great trauma to the sinuses, and even sometimes the brain, even when performed by the best brain surgeon.
However, there is new hope for patients with pituitary problems in the form of endoscopic surgery. With endoscopic pituitary surgery, the surgeon actually goes in through the nostril, so there is no incision, which means no nasal packing, no sinus trauma, and no disturbing of the sensitive brain tissue. The surgery is performed along with an endoscopic camera, which gives surgeons an unparalleled view of the pituitary gland and the surrounding brain, making it a much safer alternative to traditional pituitary surgeries.
There are a number of benefits for endoscopic surgery in terms of patient recovery as well. Since the surgery is so non-invasive, recovery time is much quicker, and patients feel better almost immediately, since the body does not have to cope with the trauma of an invasive incision.
For more information about innovations in minimally invasive pituitary gland surgery, simply click here.