Pituitary surgery removes an abnormal growth on your pituitary gland. This gland is located at the base of your brain. It makes important chemicals called hormones. Your body uses these hormones for many functions, including growth, sexual development, reproduction, and metabolism. (Metabolism is the way your body uses food for energy.)
You will be asleep during the surgery. You will not feel pain. The doctor can get to your pituitary gland in one of three ways.
This surgery usually takes about 2 to 3 hours. If the doctor goes under your lip or through your nose, you will probably leave the hospital in 1 to 3 days. You will probably be able to return to work or your normal routine in 1 to 2 weeks. If your doctor goes through your skull, you will probably leave the hospital in 3 to 9 days. But it may take 4 to 6 weeks to fully recover.
After surgery, your symptoms may go away. For example, your vision may improve. Or your headaches may go away. If the growth comes back, or if the doctor could not remove the whole growth, you may need other treatment. This may include radiation therapy.
After the surgery, you may need to take medicines to replace the hormones made by the pituitary gland.
Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.
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Pituitary surgery removes an abnormal growth on your pituitary gland. Your pituitary gland is at the base of your brain. It makes important chemicals called hormones. These hormones are involved in many of your body's functions, including growth, sexual development, reproduction, and your metabolism (the way your body uses food for energy).
If you had surgery under your lip or through your nose, you may have a headache and a slight runny nose after surgery. This will get better in 1 to 2 weeks. Your doctor may recommend pain or decongestant medicines to help with these symptoms.
There are other less common symptoms after this type of surgery. You will feel tired, and your front teeth or upper lip may feel numb. You may gain weight. You may also have trouble breathing through your nose. You may have bruises under your eyes or on the side of your nose, and you may not be able to smell as well as usual.
If the doctor used a small piece of fat from your belly or thigh to plug up the hole in your nose, you will have a small scar on your belly or thigh that will fade over time.
You will probably be able to return to work or your normal routine in 1 to 2 weeks. If you had stitches, they will disappear on their own in 7 to 10 days.
If you had surgery through your skull, you will probably feel very tired for several weeks after surgery. You may also have headaches or problems concentrating. It can take up to 6 weeks to fully recover.
The cuts the doctor made (incisions) may be sore for about 5 days after surgery. You may also have numbness and shooting pains near your wound, or swelling and bruising around your eyes. As your wound starts to heal, it may start to itch. Medicines and ice packs can help with headaches, pain, swelling, and itching.
It is common for your scalp to swell with fluid. After the swelling goes down, you may have a dent in your scalp.
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