How do they remove a cyst from the pituitary gland?
If a cyst is large enough to cause symptoms, surgery may be done to drain fluid from the cyst or to remove it. Surgery to remove a pituitary cyst involves some risk of lost pituitary function. When that happens, hormone replacement therapy can replace the under-production of specific hormones.
What are Rathke’s cysts and where are they located in the pituitary gland?
What are Rathke cleft cysts? Rathke cleft cysts (RCCs) are benign (non-cancerous) fluid-filled growths that develop between the parts of the pituitary gland at the base of the brain. They are congenital deformities, meaning that they develop while a fetus is growing in the womb.
How is surgery performed on the pituitary gland?
Endoscopic surgery is performed through the nose to remove tumors from the pituitary gland and skull base. In this minimally invasive surgery, the surgeon works through the nostrils with a tiny endoscope camera and light to remove tumors with long instruments.
What is cleft cyst?
What is a branchial cleft cyst? Also, known as a cleft sinus, a branchial cleft cyst is a lump that develops in the neck or just below the collarbone. Branchial cleft cysts form during development of the embryo. They occur when tissues in the neck and collarbone area (branchial cleft) fail to develop normally.
What is the difference between a pituitary cyst and a pituitary tumor?
A variety of cysts can appear within the pituitary gland. Although some pituitary tumors can have cystic components, most cysts are not true tumors. The most common cyst is a Rathke’s cleft cyst (RCC); others include arachnoid cysts, pars intermedia cysts and epidermoid cysts.
How is a branchial cleft cyst treated?
The treatment for branchial cleft cysts and sinus tracts is surgical removal. There is no known medical therapy with the exception that infected branchial cleft cysts and sinus tracts do require initial antibiotic treatment. The infection should be resolved before surgery is performed.
Is pituitary surgery successful?
The success rate is about 60% with growth-hormone secreting macroadenomas [2]. Some pituitary tumors remain surgically incurable due to invasion of the cavernous sinuses and other important structures.
How is surgery used for branchial cleft anomalies?
Surgical excision is definitive treatment for branchial cleft anomalies. General anesthesia is used for surgery. A horizontal incision in the neck is often made in a neck crease.
Are there any recurrences of a branchial cyst?
Results: Eight patients had Type I, seven Type II, two Type III, and one a Type IV cyst. In all cases the surgical removal was successful and after 1 to 7 years post-surgical follow-up, no recurrences have been developed. Conclusions: Branchial cleft cyst diagnostic procedure must be the same as for other neck swellings.
Is the branchial cleft in the back of the throat?
Infrequently, more than one horizontal incision, known as a stairstep or stepladder incisions, are made to fully dissect out the occasionally tortuous path of the branchial cleft anomaly. Sometimes, the branchial cleft anomaly tract extends into the back of the throat also called the pharynx.
Are there any complications with branchial cleft surgery?
There is not a high incidence of either of these complications with this type of surgery. The drain that may be placed during surgery is designed to help prevent these. The biggest risk is recurrence of the cyst/tract. Every effort is made to remove the branchial cleft remnant in its entirety.