An endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal biopsy for pituitary gland Langerhans cell histiocytosis in a child: a case report]

Endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal surgery is gaining wide acceptance as the first-line treatment of pituitary tumors in adults, as this procedure is minimally invasive and associated with good outcomes. On the other hand, conventional transcranial and sublabial approaches are chosen for infants as their small anatomical structures pose some difficulty. This study reports on the case of a 5-year-old boy who had a Langerhans cell histiocytosis appearing in the sella. The biopsy was performed using the endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal approach, and the patient has not exhibited any post-operative complications. Although the patient was a fairly young child, the endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal approach resulted in fewer complications as compared to the transcranial and translabial approaches. Otolaryngologists, therefore, should view this approach more positively. The indication for pediatric skull base diseases can be expected to expand to include endoscopic transnasal surgery.