The risk of damaging the normal pituitary is always present during pituitary and parasellar tumor surgery. This risk increases with the size of the tumor. It is important during surgery for pituitary tumors and craniopharyngiomas that the entire tumor be removed to try and cure the disease. If this results in the loss of pituitary function, then hormone replacement therapy can be instituted. Nevertheless, the risk of permanent damage to the normal pituitary is usually quite low.