Transsphenoidal Surgery for Craniopharyngiomas

Complication avoidance and management with craniopharyngioma patients should focus more on avoidance; these complex lesions demand multidisciplinary evaluation and management long before knife is put to skin except if a patient presents in extremis. Although benign histologically, the invasiveness and location of these tumors makes their management difficult over the long term. Expertise in endocrinology, neurosurgery, radiation oncology, ophthalmology, reproductive medicine, and, frequently, pediatric medicine are required to deliver the best possible care. In our practice, these patients are managed by a multidisciplinary team that is intimately involved in all phases of care.