Pituitary Tumor Surgery Side Effects

The prospect of surgery to remove a pituitary tumor may be frightening and could leave you clamoring for answers about recovery or possible side effects. It is important to be aware of these side effects so that you can discuss concerns with your doctor before surgery.

Surgical Necessity

• Most pituitary tumors are benign; however, the tumors can cause hormone disturbances that adversely affect your health. Some tumors do not affect the hormones, but can create problems as they grow and infringe upon nearby structures.

Damage to Pituitary Gland

• The most common potential surgical side effect involves damage to the pituitary gland. If the gland is damaged during surgery, hormone replacement may be needed afterward. According to Massachusetts General Hospital, permanent diabetes insipidus occurs one to two percent of the time as a result of damage to the gland during surgery.

Excessive Bleeding

• Postoperative bleeding may occur, causing added pressure on the optical nerve and, potentially, vision damage or even vision loss.

Carotid Artery Damage

• Although this is extremely rare, the carotid artery could possibly be damaged during surgery, resulting in stroke or even death. According to Massachusetts General Hospital, this deadly side effect occurs in fewer than one in every thousand cases.

Spinal Fluid Leak

• Another rare but potentially deadly side effect of surgery is a spinal fluid leak. Although this occurs in only one percent of cases, it can create the risk of meningitis, a potentially deadly infection.