Nasal complications of the direct transnasal approach to the pituitary fossa.

The transnasal trans-sphenoidal approach to the pituitary fossa is direct and fast. This study is aimed at establishing the nasal morbidity arising from this approach. One of the 25 patients developed secondary haemorrhage and another suffered recurrent minor epistaxis. The peak nasal inspiratory flow rates showed no significant difference between the left and right anterior nasal passages. Adhesions were noted in seven patients and no septal perforations were found. Three patients, who had no previous nasal symptoms, developed postoperative unilateral nasal obstruction, two secondary to left septal deviation and the other caused by right-sided anterior nasal space adhesions. The study suggests that the operation has a low nasal morbidity.