Material and Methods

Abstract

This report is based on the results of the ultrastructural examination of 114 biopsies of various tumors of the sella region of 111 patients. All tumors have been operated on in the Department of Neurological Surgery of the Kantonsspital Zürich in almost equal numbers by Prof. H. Krayenbühl, Prof. M. G. Yagargil, and the author in the years 1971 through 1973; a few also were operated on in the years 1969, 1970 and 1974. The exact type of the specimens examined is indicated in Table 1.—About two thirds of the pituitary adenomas were operated on by the transsphenoidal approach and the remaining third by the transfrontal or transfronto-temporal approach. The transcranial route was used in all but one craniopharyngioma which was almost entirely situated within the sella and therefore was removed from below. One granular cell tumor and the intrasellar meningioma were operated on from above. The tissue of the second granular cell tumor was obtained from autopsy.