Primary Adult Infradiaphragmatic Craniopharyngiomas: Clinical Features, Management, and Outcomes in One Chinese Institution

Primary adult infradiaphragmatic craniopharyngiomas are relatively rare lesions occurring in young adults. Pituitary dysfunction, visual acuity and/or field deterioration, and headache were the most common chief symptoms. Transsphenoidal surgery, including tearing the cyst walls off the diaphragma sellae and protecting normal pituitary tissue as much as possible, is recommended. Although at the risk of impairing the function of anterior pituitary, transsphenoidal surgery results in a high rate of both visual field and hyperprolactinemia improvement with a low associated risk of recurrence. In terms of pathological aspects, the adamantinous subtype was more common.