Objective To introduce a new principle of sellar reconstruction and to evaluate the effectiveness of absorbable gelatin foam and fibrin glue for sellar reconstruction. Methods A total of 176 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for pituitary adenomas

cysts

chordomas

or subdiaphragmatic craniopharyngiomas in the sella turcica between January 2001 and April 2003 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital were enrolled. Different techniques of sellar closure and indications for each specific condition were retrospectively reviewed. Results Seventy-seven （43.7%） patients developed a visible cerebrospinal fluid （CSF） leakage during surgery. Intra- operative CSF leakage were repaired simply with gelatin foam and fibrin glue in 62 （35.2%） patients

and with autologous fat graft and sellar floor reconstruction in 15 （8.5%） patients. Postoperative CSF rhinorrhea occurred only in 1 case. There were no visual deterioration

allergic rhinitis

meningitis

pneumocranium

granulomas

or other complications asso- ciated with the reconstruction procedure. Conclusion The procedure of using gelatin foam and fibrin glue and principle of cranial base reconstruction is safe and effective in preventing postoperative complications following transsphenoidal surgery.