Pituitary Tumor Specialist

Jose E. Valerio, M.D.

Neurosurgeon & Brain Tumor Specialist located in South Miami, FL & Hialeah, FL, & Weston, FL

A pituitary tumor is a type of tumor that originates in your pituitary gland. Most pituitary tumors are noncancerous, but they can affect the function of the pituitary gland. At his practice in South Miami, Hialeah, and Weston, Florida, Jose Valerio, MD, performs procedures to remove a pituitary tumor, including endoscopic and open surgery. To schedule a consultation, call the office most convenient to you or book an appointment online today.

Pituitary Tumor Q & A

What is the pituitary gland?

The pituitary gland is part of your endocrine system. Located at the base of your brain behind your nose, your pituitary gland controls the secretion of most of the hormones in your body.

Hormones are tiny chemicals that direct many of your body functions, including digestion, blood pressure, and metabolism.

What is a pituitary tumor?

A pituitary tumor includes any type of abnormal growth that develops in your pituitary gland. These tumors affect the structure and function of your gland and may cause an underproduction or overproduction of hormones.

Most pituitary tumors are benign (noncancerous) growths that don’t spread to other organs.

What are the symptoms of a pituitary tumor?

A pituitary tumor may not cause any symptoms and you may only discover the growth after undergoing imaging tests for something else. When these tumors affect hormone production, however, you may experience a range of symptoms, such as:

Weakness
Fatigue
Low tolerance to cold
Sexual dysfunction
Low sex drive
Irregular period in women
Unintentional weight loss or weight gain
Increase in urination
Increase in blood pressure or blood sugar
Anxiety or depression
Excess sweating
Joint pain

You may also experience headaches or vision changes if the pituitary tumor compresses a nerve or blood vessel in your brain.

How is a pituitary tumor treated?

Treatment for your pituitary tumor depends on the severity of your symptoms. If your tumor causes no symptoms, your provider may take a wait-and-see approach.

However, if you need surgery to remove your pituitary tumor, Dr. Valerio can help. The leading neurosurgeon uses many tools and techniques to remove your tumor and ease your symptoms, including:

Endoscopic pituitary tumor surgery

Endoscopic pituitary tumor surgery is the most common technique for removing these types of tumors. During the procedure, Dr. Valerio inserts an endoscope through your nostrils. The endoscope is a lighted surgical camera that allows Dr. Valerio to see your tumor.

He then inserts surgical tools through a nostril to remove the tumor.

Navigation pituitary tumor surgery

With navigation pituitary tumor surgery, Dr. Valerio uses guided imaging to ensure complete removal of the tumor.

Open pituitary tumor surgery

In some cases, Dr. Valerio performs open pituitary tumor surgery. During this procedure, he performs a craniotomy, cutting through your skull to gain access to the tumor for removal. He may perform the open procedure if you have a large or invasive pituitary tumor.

For a consultation, call the office of Jose Valerio MD or schedule an appointment using the online booking button today.

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