Visual outcome after extended endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery for tuberculum sellae meningiomas.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the visual outcome after extended endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery in patients with tuberculum sellae meningiomas (TSM).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for 12 patients (4 men and 8 women) with TSMs who underwent extended endonasal transsphenoidal surgery with pure endoscopy between 2003 and 2008. Neuro-ophthalmic evaluation was performed preoperatively and postoperatively.

Reconstruction of the corneal epithelium with induced marrow mesenchymal stem cells in rats.

Purpose: To explore the feasibility of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transdifferentiating into corneal epithelial cells in a limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) model in rats.

Methods: Rat MSCs were isolated and purified using a gradient isolation procedure. The cells were induced by rat corneal stromal cells (CSCs) in a transwell co-culture system.