Rostral basilar artery syndrome following transsphenoidal surgery--a report of four cases.

Abstract

Vascular complications can arise from transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) and have a high incidence of mortality and serious morbidity. Though haemorrhage from the injury to internal carotid is well know, ischaemic complication after TSS is rare. We report a series of four patients who remained unconscious after TSS, and on postoperative imaging infarcts were seen distributed in the rostral basilar artery. The possible mechanism of this complication is described.