Nasal Packing Following Endoscopic Pituitary Surgery

There is considerable controversy about the use of nasal packing following endoscopic endonasal resection of pituitary tumors as a necessary treatment amongst Rhinology-Skull Base Surgeons. The justification for the routine use of nasal packing following pituitary surgery is not clear as this practice is not used for equally extensive sinus surgery. Further scientific evidence supporting this practice is lacking, and a recent survey of Canadian surgeons performing this surgery demonstrates clear division in practice for the routine use of nasal packing. Nasal packing causes patients significant discomfort requiring medication, and the use of packing adds direct and unintended hospitalization and health system costs for every case for which it is used. The benefits, short-comings, and associated costs of nasal packing following endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal pituitary resection have not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To determine if nasal packing following endoscopic endonasal pituitary tumor surgery is a necessary treatment. The principal research questions for this study, our internal pilot of the RCT, pertain to feasibility of enrolment of patients undergoing endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal pituitary tumor surgery using the full RCT protocol of nasal packing versus no nasal packing. The pilot will address feasibility of site-specific enrolment and feasibility of institutional ethics approval and protocol administration.