When the pituitary gland is working as it should, it will secrete hormones, which in turn manage other functions within the body. However, on occasion, problems can occur.
Pituitary adenomas are the most common tumours to arise within the pituitary gland. In many cases, adenomas are slow-growing and relatively harmless. However, in some patients, this can be more problematic and can cause symptoms related to hormone imbalance (particularly for functioning tumours, where the tumour results in the secretion of too much hormone) or loss of vision (particularly for larger tumours, where the nerves that supply the eyes are compressed).
Adenomas can be diagnosed and classified with a combination endocrine blood tests and MRI scans. Depending on the blood tests, you may be diagnosed with a functioning adenoma (such as Cushing’s syndrome, acromegaly, prolactinoma, or TSHoma) or non-functioning. Similarly, depending on the MRI scans, you may be diagnosed with a microadenoma (less than one centimetre in size) or a macroadenoma (more than one centimetre in size).
Other conditions that may require pituitary surgery include Rathke’s cleft cysts, craniopharyngioma, and meningioma.
A range of treatment options for pituitary gland disorders
At The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, we have the largest pituitary service in the country and can offer you world-class service. We have an outstanding record for quality and safety, and we are also leaders in surgical techniques and innovation for pituitary surgery, including the use of artificial intelligence and robotics. Our service is frequently featured in the national and international press.
Our surgical options include endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery, which is the gold-standard treatment for most symptomatic adenomas. This is one of the best examples of minimally invasive surgery in the brain and takes place through the nose. The benefits of this type of surgery include a faster recovery, a reduced risk of complications, and no visible scarring.
It may also be possible to offer medical therapy and/or radiotherapy in selected cases, such as for certain functioning adenomas (for example, acromegaly), or where surgery is particularly challenging and there is residual disease or recurrence from a previous pituitary disorder.
