pituitary apoplexy: pathophysiology

Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Pituitary apoplexy stems from an acute expansion of a pituitary adenoma or, less commonly, in a nonadenomatous gland, from infarction or hemorrhage. Drugs Mohr G, Hardy J. Hemorrhage, necrosis, and apoplexy in pituitary adenomas. Author information: (1)Hospital das Clinicas, Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Courtesy of Taylor & Francis (Vaphiades MS. Pituitary Ring Sign Plus Sphenoid Sinus Mucosal Thickening: Neuroimaging Signs of Pituitary Apoplexy. The outlook is good for people who have long-term (chronic) pituitary deficiency that is diagnosed and treated.Complications of untreated pituitary apoplexy can include:If other missing hormones are not replaced, symptoms of hypothyroidism and hypogonadism may develop, including infertility.Call your provider if you have any symptoms of chronic pituitary insufficiency.Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if you have symptoms of acute pituitary apoplexy, including:If you develop these symptoms and you have already been diagnosed with a pituitary tumor, seek medical help right away.Hannoush ZC, Weiss RE. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites.

Vaphiades MS. Pituitary Ring Sign Plus Sphenoid Sinus Mucosal Thickening: Neuroimaging Signs of Pituitary Apoplexy. Pituitary apoplexy. Agrawal B, Dziurzynski K, Salamat MS, Baskaya M. The temporal association of sphenoid sinus mucosal thickening on MR imaging with pituitary apoplexy.

If vision is not affected, surgery is often not necessary.Immediate treatment with adrenal replacement hormones (glucocorticoids) may be needed. Pituitary apoplexy causing isolated blindness after cardiac bypass surgery. High altitude-induced pituitary apoplexy. Thickening of sphenoid sinus mucosa during the acute stage of pituitary apoplexy. Diseases & Conditions Case report. Chokyu I, Tsuyuguchi N, Goto T, Chokyu K, Chokyu M, Ohata K. Pituitary apoplexy causing internal carotid artery occlusion--case report. This deprives the anterior pituitary gland and the tumor itself of its vascular supply, apoplectically causing ischemia and subsequent necrosis.Another theory stipulates that rapid expansion of the tumor outstrips its vascular supply, resulting in ischemia and necrosis. Lavalee G, Morcos R, Palardy J, Aube M, Gilbert D. MR of nonhemorrhagic post-partum pituitary apoplexy. Some pituitary tumors can cause your pituitary gland to produce lower levels of hormones.Most pituitary tumors are noncancerous (benign) growths (adenomas). Binning MJ, Liu JK, Gannon BS, Osborn AG, Couldwell WT. The pituitary produces many of the hormones that control essential body processes. Neuroophthalmology. Madhusudhan S, Madhusudhan TR, Haslett RS, Sinha A. Pituitary apoplexy following shoulder arthroplasty: a case report. 2002 Drugs

Pineyro MM, Furtenbach P, Lima R, Wajskopf S, Sgarbi N, Pisabarro R. Brain and Optic Chiasm Herniation into Sella after Pituitary Tumor Apoplexy.

Briet C, Salenave S, Chanson P. Pituitary Apoplexy. Thomason K, Macleod K, Eyres KS. Kaplun J, Fratila C, Ferenczi A, Yang WC, Lantos G, Fleckman AM. Automated visual field showing a bitemporal field defect due to compression of the optic chiasm from below. Vaphiades MS, Simmons D, Archer RL, Stringer W. Sheehan syndrome: a splinter of the mind. Ly S, Naman A, Chaufour-Higel B, Patey M, Arndt C, Delemer B, et al. Pituitary tumor apoplexy: a review. If you log out, you will be required to enter your username and password the next time you visit. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties. Enhanced T1-weighted axial and coronal MRI showing a large pituitary tumor that has recently undergone ischemic apoplexy showing a necrotic (hypointense) center and ring of gadolinium enhancement (hyperintense), ie, the "pituitary ring sign." Apoplexy means bleeding into an organ or loss of blood flow to an organ.Pituitary apoplexy is commonly caused by bleeding inside a noncancerous (When pituitary bleeding occurs in a woman during or right after childbirth, it is called Risk factors for pituitary apoplexy in non-pregnant people without a tumor include:Pituitary apoplexy in these situations is very rare.Pituitary apoplexy usually has a short period of symptoms (acute), which can be life threatening. Kiyofuji S, Perry A, Graffeo CS, Giannini C, Link MJ. Pituitary metastasis presenting as ischemic pituitary apoplexy following heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. The pituitary is a small gland at the base of the brain. Stubborn hiccups as a sign of massive apoplexy in a naive acromegaly patient with pituitary macroadenoma. Liu S, Wang X, Liu YH, Mao Q. Spontaneous disappearance of the pituitary macroadenoma after apoplexy: a case report and review of the literature.