Craniopharyngiomas are pseudo-tumors that originate from remnants of embryonic tissue. It is localized in the area of the stalk of the pituitary gland, hypothalamus. Characteristic features of craniopharyngiomas are dense fusion with surrounding structures, primarily with the stalk of the pituitary gland. Hormonal disturbances after surgery are not uncommon. For radical surgical removal of a craniopharyngioma, sometimes surgeons, together with the patient before the operation, make a joint decision to transect the hypophysis stalk, and associated with this is constant hormone replacement therapy in the postoperative period. An alternative to this is subtotal surgical removal of the craniopharyngioma followed by radiation therapy. Of course, the risk of recurrence of craniopharyngioma in this case is higher. This disease occurs both in childhood and in adults.
There are 2 types of craniopharyngiomas: Adamantine craniopharyngiomas are a common type of craniopharyngioma, occurring in 80% of cases. The formation has a benign course, often a cystic structure, on the inner surface of which calcifications are deposited. Papillary craniopharyngiomas are rare, mostly in middle-aged or elderly people. It has a more pronounced invasive nature and associated with this more frequent recurrences of growth after surgery. We perform surgical interventions both transcranially (trepanation of the skull – ptreional access or interhemispheric access) and endoscopic endonasal access (through the nasal cavity using endoscopic techniques).