Cryosurgery or microsurgery in the management of acromegaly.

Fifty-six patients with growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas, 28 treated by cryoablation and 28 by microsurgery, have been followed up from three to eight years. Mean serum growth hormone concentrations were less than 10 mU/L in 19 patients (68%) after microsurgery as compared with seven (25%) after cryosurgery. Hypopituitarism and operative complications were more frequent after cryosurgery.