Mucocele of the sphenoid sinus, a late complication of transsphenoidal pituitary surgery

Abstract

A case of sphenoid sinus mucocele which occurred after transsphenoidal hypophysectomy for pituitary adenoma is reported. The patient was 44-year-old female complaining of visual complication and general fatigue. The mucocele wall was resected as much as possible via a transnasal approach with endoscopy, and a drainage was routed into the nasal cavity. Mucocele recurrence was not detected within a 14-month follow-up period. This case suggests that the postoperative radiologie follow-up should be performed after removal of pituitary tumors to detect sphenoid sinus mucocele as well as the tumor recurrence.