Surgery through the nose removed a hard to reach brain tumor
Original title: Endoscopic endonasal transcavernous posterior clinoidectomy with pituitary transposition for resection of a craniopharyngioma.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This is a report on one person's surgery, not a study in many patients.
The short version
Doctors took out a large brain tumor by working through one man's nose instead of opening his skull.
What was studied. This is a report on a single patient. A 37-year-old man had double vision for 3 weeks, and a scan showed a large growth near the base of his brain that looked like a craniopharyngioma.
What they found. Surgeons reached the tumor through the nose using a thin tube with a camera. The report says this path gave them enough room to reach the deep spaces behind the tumor. They removed all of the growth they could see, and the man had no new lasting nerve problems after surgery.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: For some tumors in this deep, hard to reach spot, surgery through the nose may be an option. It can avoid opening the skull. Whether it fits your case depends on your own scans and your surgical team.
What it doesn't mean: This is one person's operation, not a study that compares this method to others. It does not show how safe or how helpful this surgery is for most people. It is not a cure, and not every tumor can be reached this way. Only some centers have surgeons trained in it.
Source: PubMed, October 1, 2026 · Read the original
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