Psychological functioning following surgery for pituitary disease

Treece, Karen (2007). Psychological functioning following surgery for pituitary disease. University of Birmingham. Clin.Psy.D.

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Abstract

A long-term, multi-centred, case controlled, follow up study of patients who had been treated for pituitary tumours with transsphenoidal surgery (TSA) was conducted. Transsphenoidal surgery is the “Gold Standard” treatment for removal of pituitary tumours (Royal College of Physicians 1997). Patients had received surgery between 1998 and 2002. Pituitary patients were compared to controls on psychosocial functioning measures. Impaired levels of psychosocial functioning had been observed in pituitary patients before surgery and three months after surgery, but this had resolved one year after surgery (Treece et al 2005).

The aim of this follow up study was to determine whether or not the resolution in psychosocial functioning observed one year after surgery had been maintained at long-term follow up (4-8 years after surgery). Patients who had completed the prospective study were approached. Thirty-two pituitary surgery patients and nineteen control surgery patients completed measures of psychosocial functioning. The levels of psychosocial functioning between the two groups were not significantly different at long-term follow up (p<0.05). Normalised levels of psychosocial functioning measured in pituitary patients one year after surgery, remained at long-term follow up. Transsphenoidal surgery to remove pituitary tumours was not detrimental to psychosocial functioning between four and eight years after surgery.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Clin.Psy.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Clin.Psy.D.

Supervisor(s):