How long is the leave for pituitary tumor surgery?

Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
Updated on June 29, 2025
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The duration of leave needed after pituitary tumor surgery must be judged based on individual circumstances, as everyone's condition is different. Generally, if the tumor removal uses a minimally invasive method, entering through the nose, then under normal circumstances, if the surgery goes well without any complications or sequelae, the patient often only needs to take one to two weeks off, and can usually return to work or studies afterwards. However, in some cases where open craniotomy is used for the tumor removal and the surgery encounters problems, postoperative complications or sequelae may occur, and the leave required can be around one to two months. If the condition is more critical, the leave period may be extended even further. Therefore, the decision must be based on the specific condition at the time, with most cases likely requiring around one month off.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Is a pituitary tumor serious?

Pituitary tumors are mostly benign. The tumors grow slowly, but due to their special location adjacent to the pituitary gland, when the size of the pituitary tumor increases to a certain extent, it will inevitably affect the pituitary, impairing its function and leading to pituitary dysfunction. This dysfunction manifests as endocrine hormonal imbalances, resulting in a series of symptoms and signs. Therefore, it is usually recommended to treat pituitary tumors surgically. Clinically, it is generally advised to choose the transnasal transsphenoidal approach for complete resection of the pituitary tumor.

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Written by Li Pei
Neurosurgery
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How is pituitary tumor surgery performed?

Currently, there are generally two surgical methods for pituitary tumors. One is the transnasal transsphenoidal endoscopic pituitary tumor resection. The other is the craniotomy microsurgery pituitary tumor resection. If the main body of the tumor is located within the sella or even within the sphenoid sinus, it is suitable for transnasal transsphenoidal pituitary tumor resection. If the main body of the tumor is located above the sella, it is suitable for craniotomy microsurgery pituitary tumor resection. Of course, some adjustments should also be made according to the patient's age, physical condition, etc.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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How to check for pituitary tumors?

For the examination of pituitary tumors, it can be conducted jointly through various methods such as inquiring about the patient's medical history based on symptoms and signs, as well as conducting endocrine and radiological examinations. Currently, with the continuous advancement in modern endocrinology, the use of endocrine radiology immunodiagnostic methods allows for the direct measurement of various hormones from the pituitary and hypothalamus, and functional tests of the pituitary can be performed. This helps in understanding whether there is hyperfunction in the pituitary and target organs, and provides an effective evaluation of early diagnosis of pituitary tumors, changes before and after treatment, and treatment efficacy, which is of significant importance. Additionally, judgments can also be made jointly through various methods such as cranial CT, cranial MRI, and enhanced MRI scanning of the pituitary gland.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Is a 2cm pituitary tumor big?

In the case of pituitary tumors, if the size reaches two centimeters, it is relatively large. Under normal circumstances, pituitary tumors can be classified into several types based on their size: microadenomas are generally smaller than one centimeter, macroadenomas are larger than 1.0 centimeter, and giant adenomas are larger than 3.0 centimeters. Usually, a two-centimeter pituitary tumor is already considered a macroadenoma. Normally, such large pituitary tumors often compress the surrounding pituitary tissue, causing hypofunction of the pituitary tissue and significant hormonal disturbances, which can lead to a range of uncomfortable symptoms and signs in patients.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Can pituitary tumors cause headaches?

For patients with pituitary tumors, headaches may occur. Most patients in the early stages often experience mild headaches located behind the eye sockets, the forehead, and on both sides of the temporal area. These headaches are generally tolerable and occur intermittently. They are mostly caused by the stimulation of the tumor or the increased pressure inside the sella. When the tumor enlarges to a certain extent and breaks upward through the diaphragm sellae, headaches are often alleviated. However, if the tumor further grows into surrounding tissues, it might compress important blood vessels and nerves, resulting in recurring pain with increasing severity.