Percentage of patients prescribed hydrocortisone replacement following pituitary tumour surgery

What is pituitary tumour surgery?

The pituitary gland is situated below the brain and secretes hormones which control a variety of processes within the body such as metabolism, temperature and blood pressure.

Pituitary tumours can result in hormone deficiency (inadequate hormone levels) or excess. They are almost always benign and usually curable through surgery.

How is the Trust doing?

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Higher percentage indicates better performance.

The Trust is performing consistently well against this indicator. Performance will continue to be monitored to ensure it remains high.

Why is this indicator important?

Patients undergoing surgery for pituitary tumours are at risk of developing hormone deficiencies (inadequate hormone levels) afterwards.

Reduced levels of the steroid hormone cortisol can result in low blood pressure, which can be life-threatening, particularly in patients who have another illness present at the same time.

It is therefore important for patients to be given preventative medication (hydrocortisone) following pituitary surgery, until they have their first outpatient review around 6 – 8 weeks after surgery.

How do we measure this indicator?

The indicator is measured by the percentage of patients that are admitted for pituitary tumour surgery who are prescribed hydrocortisone during their admission.

Where does the data come from?

The data for this indicator is compiled from the Trust’s patient administration system called Lorenzo and the Prescribing and Information Communication System (PICS).