Intrasellar salivary gland-like pleomorphic adenoma: case report.

Abstract

We present a rare case of a patient with intrasellar salivary gland-like pleomorphic adenoma and review the 2 previously reported cases of the clinical entity to identify their common clinical features. A 56-year-old Asian man visited our hospital with a chief complaint of visual disturbance caused by brain tumor that filled up the sella turcica with suprasellar extension. The patient underwent craniotomy via a left pterional approach, and the subdural, intracranial portion of the tumor was totally removed, with every artery and nerve preserved. Pathological diagnosis of the tumor was intrasellar salivary gland-like pleomorphic adenoma. Three years after the operation, the patient remains free from tumor recurrence. Tumors in all 3 reported cases of intrasellar salivary gland-like pleomorphic adenoma, including the present case, showed suprasellar extension and compressed optic chiasm that resulted in visual disturbance of the patients. A calcified region inside the tumor on computed tomographic scanning was also a common finding. Differential diagnosis of intrasellar salivary gland-like pleomorphic adenomas should be considered in patients with calcified intrasellar tumors with suprasellar extension. The clinical entity seems to show good prognosis if surgically removed.