Post-partum pituitary apoplexy with bilateral third nerve palsy and bilateral carotid occlusion

This study describes a patient with post-partum collapse secondary to pituitary apoplexy with bilateral carotid artery occlusion. A 29-year-old female, post delivery of a healthy child, presented with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3, fixed dilated pupils, complete ophthalmoplegia, and bilateral compression of the internal carotid arteries. These symptoms were due to a giant pituitary macroadenoma. She underwent a craniotomy and subsequently survived with minor cognitive deficits and functional vision. Bilateral carotid occlusion caused by pituitary apoplexy is rare, yet survival with only minor deficits is possible.     

垂体腺瘤的侵袭与CD147、Galectin-3及微血管密度表达的关系

目的 检测CD147、Galeetin-3及微血管密度(MVD)在侵袭性和非侵袭性垂体腺瘤中的表达,以探讨其与垂体腺瘤MRI侵袭特征的关系.方法 对34例垂体腺瘤患者术前行MRI检查,术后收集标本应用免疫组化sP法检测垂体腺瘤标本中CD147、Galeetin-3及MVD的表达,分析MRI侵袭性表现与CD147、Galecfin-3及MVD表达之间的关系.结果 在垂体腺瘤相关MRI侵袭征象中,肿瘤超过外切线、海绵窦段颈内动脉被肿瘤包绕>50%、蝶窦侵犯、肿瘤形态不规则及双侧颈内动脉的不对称性均与CD147及Galectin-3的表达有关(P<0.05),肿瘤囊变坏死及瘤卒中与CD147及Galectin-3表达无关(P>0.05).结论 CD147及Galectin-3的高表达与垂体腺瘤MRI侵袭特征密切相关,CD147和Galectin-3可以作为垂体腺瘤侵袭性的分子标记物.     

Pituitary Apoplexy due to Pituitary Adenoma Infarction

Cause of pituitary apoplexy has been known as hemorrhage, hemorrhagic infarction or infarction of pituitary adenoma or adjacent tissues of pituitary gland. However, pituitary apoplexy caused by pure infarction of pituitary adenoma has been rarely reported. Here, we present the two cases pituitary apoplexies caused by pituitary adenoma infarction that were confirmed by transsphenoidal approach (TSA) and pathologic reports. Pathologic report of first case revealed total tumor infarction of a nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenoma and second case partial tumor infarction of ACTH secreting pituitary macroadenoma. Patients with pituitary apoplexy which was caused by pituitary adenoma infarction unrelated to hemorrhage or hemorrhagic infarction showed good response to TSA treatment. Further study on the predisposing factors of pituitary apoplexy and the mechanism of infarction in pituitary adenoma is necessary.     

Carotid cavernous aneurysm presenting as pituitary apoplexy.

The authors report an interesting case with a ruptured internal carotid artery aneurysm that presented as a sellar haematoma mimicking radiologically a pituitary adenoma, and clinically a pituitary apoplexy. A 53-year-old woman presented with a 2-week history of episodic severe headache and vomiting associated, 3 days prior to admission, with left ophthalmoparesis and transient right hemiparesis. Brain MRI showed a large intra- and suprasellar mass suggestive of a pituitary macroadenoma. Hormonal profiles showed hyperprolactinaemia and subsequent cerebral angiography demonstrated a carotid cavernous aneurysm. The patient underwent surgery via a subfrontal approach to manage both lesions. At operation, the suspected pituitary adenoma was revealed to be a sellar haematoma; the aneurysm was successfully clipped. Postoperatively, the patient developed hypotension and right hemiparesis which, as well as the third nerve paresis, progressively improved to full recovery. At 12 months follow-up the patient is neurologically intact and generally well. The clinical features, the management of such a case and the importance of differential diagnosis in the acute stage are emphasised and discussed along with relevant literature.     

Pituitary Apoplexy Following Mitral Valvuloplasty

Pituitary apoplexy is a rare but potentially life-threatening clinical syndrome caused by the sudden enlargement of a pituitary adenoma secondary to hemorrhage or infarction. Pituitary apoplexy after cardiac surgery is a very rare perioperative complication. Factors associated with open heart surgery that may lead to pituitary apoplexy include hemodynamic instability during cardiopulmonary bypass and systemic heparinization. We report a case of pituitary apoplexy after mitral valvuloplasty with cardiopulmonary bypass. After early pituitary tumor resection and hormonal replacement therapy, the patient made a full recovery.     

Radiological Apoplexy and Its Correlation with Acute Clinical Presentation, Angiogenesis and Tumor Microvascular Density in Pituitary Adenomas

Objective

Pituitary apoplexy is life-threatening clinical syndrome caused by the rapid enlargement of a pituitary tumor due to hemorrhage and/or infarction. The pathogenesis of pituitary apoplexy is not completely understood. We analyzed the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of pituitary tumors and subsequently correlated the radiological findings with the clinical presentation. Additionally, immunohistochemistry was also performed to determine whether certain biomarkers are related to radiological apoplexy.

Methods

Thirty-four cases of pituitary adenoma were enrolled for retrospective analysis. In this study, the radiological apoplexy was defined as cases where hemorrhage, infarction or cysts were identified on MRI. Acute clinical presentation was defined as the presence of any of the following symptoms: severe sudden onset headache, decreased visual acuity and/or visual field deficit, and acute mental status changes. Angiogenesis was quantified by immunohistochemical expression of fetal liver kinase 1 (Flk-1), neuropilin (NRP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, while microvascular density (MVD) was assessed using Endoglin and CD31.

Results

Clinically, fourteen patients presented with acute symptoms and 20 for mild or none clinical symptoms. Radiologically, fifteen patients met the criteria for radiological apoplexy. Of the fifteen patients with radiologic apoplexy, 9 patients presented acute symptoms whereas of the 19 patient without radiologic apoplexy, 5 patients presented acute symptoms. Of the five biomarkers tracked, only VEGF was found to be positively correlated with both radiological and nonradiological apoplexy.

Conclusion

While pituitary apoplexy is currently defined in cases where clinical symptoms can be histologically confirmed, we contend that cases of radiologically identified pituitary hemorrhages that present with mild or no symptoms should be designated subacute or subclinical apoplexy. VEGF is believed to have a positive correlation with pituitary hemorrhage. Considering the high rate of symptomatic or asymptomatic pituitary tumor hemorrhage, additional studies are needed to detect predictors of the pituitary hemorrhage.     

SIADH following pituitary adenoma apoplexy

The rare case of a patient with SIADH following pituitary adenoma apoplexy is reported. Since apoplexy did not exert any mass effect on surrounding structures, the patient was treated conservatively and the anterior pituitary gland insufficiency has been substituted adequately. Seven days after the apoplexy the patient again showed low serum–Na⁺ levels despite cortisol substitution. Diagnosis of SIADH was made. It is essential to be aware of this rare syndrome in patients with pituitary adenoma apoplexy.     

Is ultrasound examination sufficient in the evaluation of patients with internal carotid artery severe stenosis or occlusion?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Carotid endarterectomy (CE) has been shown to be beneficial in patients with symptomatic high-grade internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. Some authors have suggested that when ultrasound shows a stenosis 70-99%, CE can be performed without further imaging study. However, ultrasound findings that suggest an ICA occlusion, not confirmed by angiography but which instead show a near-occlusion usually benefit from CE. The objectives of this study are: (1). to evaluate how angiography-obtained information on intracranial arteries affects the treatment decision in patients with 70-99% ICA stenosis, and (2). to evaluate when a symptomatic ICA occlusion shown by ultrasound could actually be a patent artery and therefore benefit from CE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively collected the cerebral angiograms of 133 consecutive patients with TIA or non-disabling stroke due to large artery disease where ultrasound suggested a stenosis >or=70% or occlusion of symptomatic ICA; we calculated the frequency of intracranial vascular malformations and intracranial artery disease (IAD) located in the infraclinoid or supraclinoid portion of the ICA, and in the anterior or middle cerebral artery. RESULTS: Ultrasound showed 31 ICA occlusions and 102 ICA with 70-99% stenosis. All the patients with an ICA stenosis 70-99% on ultrasound examination had the degree of stenosis confirmed by angiography. Two out of 31 patients did not have a complete occlusion but angiography showed a near-occlusion and consequently they underwent CE. Sixty-five (62.5%) out of 104 patients with patent ICA had IAD (mild 26.9%, moderate 21.2%, and severe 14.4%). Five patients (4.8%) had intracranial vascular malformations (4 aneurysms and 1 arteriovenous malformation). One patient had disabling stroke during angiography. Seven patients (6.7%) did not undergo CE after angiography (1 patient had an aneurysm >10 mm, 1 patient had a very tight stenosis of the basilar artery, 5 patients had intracranial stenosis more severe than the extracranial stenosis). CONCLUSIONS: In patients that on the basis of ultrasound examination can benefit from CE, information on intracranial arteries is necessary. Moreover, complete occlusion cannot be detected with certainty only by ultrasound examination.     

Xenon/CT CBF measurements as valuable diagnostic tool in a case of bilateral occlusive cerebrovascular disease associated with intracranial aneurysm

A patient with the coincidental occurrence of a right internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis and asymptomatic ipsilateral infraclinoidal ICA aneurysm is presented. CBF measurements including testing of the cerebrovascular reserve capacity (CRC) demonstrated a compromise of cerebral blood flow (CBF) within the anterior circulation of the affected side. We treated the patient in one operation by aneurysm clipping and subsequent carotid endarterectomy (CEA). 10 months later she presented with an occlusion of the contralateral ICA. CBF measurements showed sufficient resting flow and CRC on both sides. One year later repeat measurements disclosed a lowered resting CBF and diminished CRC on the affected side. Extracranial/Intracranial (EC/IC) artery bypass improved both symptoms and CBF/CRC values. The authors propose to treat symptomatic ICA stenosis and concurrent silent ipsilateral intracranial aneurysms at once if the patient is eligible for aneurysm surgery. CBF measurements should be performed before surgery. In a medically compromised patient carotid endarterectomy alone appears to be justifiable. In cases of symptomatic aneurysm and concurrent ICA stenosis a CEA can be added to aneurysm clipping to improve the hemodynamic situation for a better postoperative management. Xenon/CT investigations are suitable to provide important cerebral blood flow information. Together with angiography and clinical judgment it allows to identify patients with hemodynamic insufficiency. These are suitable candidates for an operative procedure to augment cerebral blood flow and to improve symptoms.     

亚临床型垂体腺瘤卒中的诊治

目的总结203例亚临床型垂体腺瘤卒中患者临床特点、诊断、处理与结果。方法回顾性分析亚临床型垂体腺瘤卒中病人203例,149例行经鼻蝶垂体腺瘤切除术,54例行开颅切除手术。患者术前术后均作内分泌学检查,影像学检查为cT或MRI。结果所有病人视觉损害、头痛或垂体功能得到不同程度改善。泌乳素腺瘤是本组病例中最常见病理类型。大腺瘤及巨腺瘤患者容易发生亚临床型垂体腺瘤卒中。术后随访有24例垂体腺瘤复发。19例接受放疗。9例术后长期服用甲状腺素替代药物,8例服用类固醇激素。结论亚临床型垂体腺瘤卒中的发病率比急性卒中高。亚临床型垂体腺瘤卒中的发病机制尚不清楚。磁共振优于cT诊断亚临床型垂体腺瘤卒中。经鼻蝶手术治疗亚临床型垂体腺瘤卒中安全有效。     

Necrosis of a hypophyseal adenoma and ischemic cerebral vascular accident

A 78-year old man developed an acute intracranial hypertension followed by central left facial palsy. CT Scan and MRI revealed an ischemia within the right lenticulostriate arteries territory and a hemorrhagic infarction of a pituitary adenoma without extrinsic carotid artery compression. Neuroophthalmologic examination and hormonal screening were normal. Though pituitary apoplexy and stroke might represent a fortuitous association, several mechanisms underlying such clinical picture are advanced.     

Pituitary apoplexy with sterile meningitis

In 255 patients with evidence of a pituitary tumor, 7 patients presented with typical symptoms of meningitis, which all proved to be sterile. In these patients a pituitary adenoma was surgically verified in 4. In one patient the presence of acromegaly indicated a pituitary adenoma. In 2 patients an enlarged, empty sella was found, taken to reflect spontaneous disappearance of an adenoma. It is thought that the cause of the sterile meningeal reaction in the 7 patients was a spontaneous necrosis of the adenoma with expulsion of necrotic material into the suprasellar subarachnoid space. Although this sequence has been described before it has been considered to occur very rarely. Pituitary apoplexy as the underlying cause of meningitis should be suspected in patients with evidence of pituitary endocrine disturbances or lesion of structures adjacent to the fossa. The diagnosis may be established by computer tomography. Therapeutically, it may be of importance that the nature of the meningeal reaction is promptly recognized. Swift neurosurgical decompression of the sella and adequate hormonal substitution therapy may be essential.     

No evidence that severity of stroke in internal carotid occlusion is related to collateral arteries

Background/Aim

The neurological effects of internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion vary between patients. The authors investigated whether the severity of symptoms in a large group of patients with ipsilateral or/and contralateral ICA occlusion at presentation with ocular or cerebral ischaemic symptoms could be explained by patency of other extra or intracranial arteries to act as collateral pathways.

Methods

The authors prospectively identified all patients (n = 2881) with stroke, cerebral transient ischaemic attack (TIA), retinal artery occlusion (RAO), and amaurosis fugax (AFx) presenting to our hospital over five years, obtained detailed history and examination, and examined the intra and extracranial arteries with carotid and colour‐power transcranial Doppler ultrasound. For this analysis, all those with intracranial haemorrhage on brain imaging and cerebral events without brain imaging were excluded.

Results

Among 2228/2397 patients with brain imaging (1713 ischaemic strokes, 401 cerebral TIAs, 193 AFx, and 90 RAO) who underwent carotid Doppler, 195 (9%) had ICA occlusion. Among those patients with cortical events, disease in potential collateral arteries (contralateral ICA, external carotid, ipsilateral or contralateral vertebral or intracranial arteries) was equally distributed among patients with severe and mild ischaemic presenting symptoms.

Conclusion

The authors found no evidence that the clinical presentation associated with an ICA occlusion was related to patency of other extra or intracranial arteries to act as collateral pathways. Further work is required to investigate what determines the clinical effects of ICA occlusion.     

Precipitating factors in pituitary apoplexy

Pituitary apoplexy is a rare but life threatening condition caused by sudden haemorrhage or infarction of the pituitary gland. Potential precipitating factors in the occurrence of acute pituitary apoplexy in 30 consecutive patients were identified and compared with the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with and without associated factors. Six patients had a previously known pituitary adenoma. All patients complained of severe headaches, associated with neuro-ophthalmological symptoms and signs in 83% and altered mental status in 30%. Potential risk factors were identified in nine patients (30%). When there was an associated factor, the clinical presentation was no different than in patients without such factors although altered mental status may be more frequent in patients with associated diseases. In these patients, the visual prognosis was worse and the diagnosis was more difficult to establish. Acute pituitary apoplexy is unpredictable and should be considered in any patient with abrupt neuro-ophthalmological deterioration associated with headache. Patients with pituitary apoplexy often have an associated disease that confounds recognition and treatment despite a typical presentation.     

Spontaneous remission of acromegaly after meningitis: a case report]

There have been several reports describing the cases of acromegaly, which show reduction in size of tumor in due to pituitary apoplexy or lymphocytic hypophysitis. We have encountered a patient of acromegaly, who developed panhypopituitarism after suffering from meningitis and showed the reduction of tumor in size. The results of imaging examination suggested the presence of pituitary apoplexy and lymphocytic hypophysitis. The patient was a 27-year-old woman, who visited a local physician with complains of headache and fever. After performing lumbar puncture, she was diagnosed as viral meningitis, and conservative therapy was initiated. The results of biochemical test of blood revealed hyponatremia. Because facial appearance of the patient was similar to that of acromegaly, endocrine dysfunction was suspected. The result of pituitary hormone tests showed high levels of growth hormone (GH) and somatomedin C (IGF-1) and low levels of the other hormones. At the same time, sign of diabetes insipidus was noted, and the patient was referred to our hospital. In the examination at the admission, GH and IGF-1 showed the trends to decrease, and the reduction in size of tumor was also detected. From the results of imaging examination, pituitary apoplexy and lymphocytic hypophysitis were suspected. Operation was performed, and pathological examination revealed inflammation of pituitary adenoma.     

"Congenital" Horner''s Syndrome and Carotid Dissection

The authors describe a child presenting with Horner's syndrome after the repeated application of birthing forceps to the head and neck during vaginal delivery. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography confirmed that the proximal right internal carotid artery (ICA) showed injury caused by dissection. Carotid duplex and transcranial ultrasonography provided supporting evidence of distal right ICA occlusion with the development of intracranial collaterals. The authors interpret these findings to indicate that the child suffered a traumatic dissection of the distal right ICA to mimic "congenital" Horner's syndrome (CHS). In a review of English medical literature published since 1972, the authors found 70 cases of CHS, none of which was attributed to carotid dissection. This case demonstrates that carotid dissection is an underreported cause of CHS.     

Patency of external and internal carotid artery in the presence of an occluded common carotid artery: noninvasive evaluation with combined cerebrovascular Doppler examination and sequential computertomography

The patency of the external carotid artery (ECA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) in the presence of an occlusion of the common carotid artery (CCA) was evaluated in 7 patients with a symptomatic CCA occlusion by the combined application of cerebrovascular Doppler examination (cv-Doppler) based on continuous-wave equipment and sequential computertomographic scans with intravenous bolus injection of contrast material (sequential CT-scans). Occlusion of the CCA was demonstrated by cv- Doppler and sequential CT-scans and confirmed by routine angiography. A patent ECA was found in all 7 patients by the combined method, but could not be demonstrated by routine angiography in one of these patients. A patent ICA was found in 2 patients by the combined method, while routine angiographic findings concerning the patency of the ICA were equivocal. An occluded ICA was found in 5 patients by the cv-Doppler-sequential CT-scans method, where routine angiographic findings also were equivocal. Operation to restore blood flow in the CCA was performed in 5 patients and successful in 3 patients in whom blood flow from the CCA to the ECA could be achieved in 2 patients, and to the ECA and ICA in one patient, as predicted by the combined cv-Doppler-sequential CT-scans method. Thus, the patency of the ICA in the presence of a CCA occlusion can be reliably evaluated by the combined diagnostic procedure. The method may help to decide for further diagnostic work-up, e.g., specific selective injections and projections in more than two plans during cerebral angiography, and/or successful surgical intervention in a given patient with a CCA occlusion, even if angiographic findings are equivocal.     

Massive cerebral infarction as a feature of pituitary apoplexy.

A patient with pituitary apoplexy is reported who, in addition to the clinical features of apoplexy, developed a cerebral infarct secondary to compression of the internal carotid artery. The mechanisms of a cerebral infarct associated with pituitary apoplexy are discussed.     

Ectopic pituitary adenoma of the clivus presenting with apoplexy: case report and review of the literature

Ectopic pituitary adenomas usually occur within sphenoid sinus or nasopharynx, and seldom within the clivus. There is only a single reported example of ectopic adenoma with clinical apoplexy, albeit not from clivus. We report a 78-year-old male with known prostate carcinoma admitted with acute onset of blurred vision, suggestive of apoplexy. Work-up revealed unilateral cranial nerve VI palsy and neuroimaging showed a mass confined to the clivus; sellar region was normal. Preoperative considerations included chordoma, chondrosarcoma, or metastatic prostate carcinoma to bone. Resection was via endoscopic transsphenoidal approach to the clivus. An ectopic null cell pituitary adenoma with bland infarction was identified as the cause of the patient's clinical apoplexy. No antecedent precipitating factors for apoplexy were present; specifically the patient had not received leuprolide preoperatively, a known precipitant of pituitary apoplexy in prostate cancer patients who receive drug. We review the literature on ectopic clival pituitary adenomas, apoplexy in ectopic adenomas, and the link between apoplexy and leuprolide usage.