Pituitary stalk meningioma: case report

We report a 45-year-old woman with a meningioma which was in contact with only the pituitary stalk on MRI. As the pituitary stalk has no dura mater, we suggest this tumour may have originated from the arachnoid membrane of the pituitary stalk. Though some reports have shown that meningiomas can arise from sites lacking a dural component, this is the first report of a meningioma originating from the pituitary stalk. Received: 21 December 1995 Accepted: 26 February 1996     

Early organization of the pituitary gland in Sparus aurata L. (Teleostei) An ultrastructural study

The cell organization of the pituitary gland and the relationship between neurohypophysis and adenohypophysis in the early developmental stages of the gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata, were studied by electron microscopy. In newly hatched larvae, the pituitary gland was embedded in the ventral floor of the diencephalon and separated from the hypothalamus by a continuous basal lamina. Elongated mesenchymal cells next to the ventral surface were observed. At this stage, there was no neurohypophysis and the adenohypophysis consisted of undifferentiated endocrine cells with small scarce secretory granules and a few stellate cells, with no distinctive zonation. An incipient neurohypophysis was present in 1-day-old larvae. The first evagination of the neurohypophysis into the adenohypophysis were observed in 2-day-old larvae and developed progressively with age, being deeper in the caudal zone. Two regions in the adenohypophysis, one anterior — the presumptive pars distalis — and one posterior — the presumptive pars intermedia — were found in 2-day-old larvae. Three regions (rostral and proximal pars distalis and pars intermedia) were clearly distinguishable in 4-day-old larvae. The ultrastructural features of the pituitary endocrine cells varied during gland differentiation, with the secretory granules gradually increasing in number and size, accompanying organelle development. Nevertheless, even in the oldest larvae studied (65 days), undifferentiated cells similar to those in the earliest stages were observed. The first blood vessels appeared in the neurohypophysis around 16 days after hatching. During early development, the pituitary gland progressively emerged from the ventral floor of the brain. By 16 days, the principal pattern of the pituitary gland architecture appeared to be established.     

急性中风中脏腑证型与垂体-肾上腺轴激素关系的研究

目的 :探讨急性中风中脏腑证型与垂体—肾上腺轴激素的促肾上腺皮质激素 (ACTH)、皮质醇 (CS)的关系。方法 :对 78例中脏腑患者进行辨证分型 ,同时利用放射免疫分析 (RIA)法测定血中 ACTH、CS含量 ,按证型分为四组 ,对比不同证型间 ACTH、CS的水平 ,并与健康人组 (60例 )作对照。结果 :ACTH、CS含量水平比较 :1四种证型的 ACTH、CS均比正常健康人组高 (P <0 .0 0 1 ) ;2四种证型间比较有明显差异 (P<0 .0 1 ) ,从高到低为 :痰热内闭心窍证 >风火上扰清窍证 >痰湿蒙塞心神证 >元气败脱、心神散乱证。结论 :ACTH、CS含量水平可作为判别中脏腑不同证型间的微观指标     

垂体腺瘤细胞VEGF表达与细胞因子分泌的关系

目的:探讨垂体腺瘤细胞株HP75 VEGF表达与细胞因子IL-1α和IL-6分泌的关系。方法:HP75细胞常规培养,经各种因素处理后,取培养上清液,采用ELISA方法分别检测VEGF、IL-1α和IL-6的分泌水平。结果:①HP75细胞时间依赖性分泌VEGF、IL-1α和IL-6;②较大剂量的IL-1α剂量依赖性的刺激VEGF表达;③所用各种剂量的IL-6对VEGF的分泌均无显著影响;④IL-1α和IL-6中和抗体对VEGF基础分泌无显著影响。结论:VEGF的表达与IL-1α和IL-6的分泌密切相关,提示细胞因子在垂体腺瘤的生长过程中发挥重要作用。     

神经导航在经单鼻孔入路垂体腺瘤切除术的应用

目的 探讨神经导航系统在经单鼻孔入路垂体腺瘤切除术中的应用技术及对鞍区解剖结构识别的价值。方法 对39例垂体腺瘤使用StealthStation神经导航系统进行指导定位、识别入路相关的解剖结构并引导手术操作。结果 平均注册误差为2．3mm（1．6～3．3mm），肿瘤全切除32例，次全切除4例，大部切除2例。部分切除1例。未全切除病例主要是肿瘤巨大、向海绵窦侵袭性生长、质地坚硬或血供异常丰富者。结论 神经导航系统提供了准确可靠的定位，能够准确指示中线结构、鞍底和颈内动脉，有效地减轻了创伤，使之成为良好的手术辅助工具。     

Do forceps biopsies truthfully reflect the nature of endoscopically uncovered polypoid lesions of the colon?

BACKGROUND: Total excision of colonic polyps is not always attainable and in some patients it is clinically contraindicated. Also, a resected polyp may be lost at any step between its endoscopic removal and its embedding in paraffin. The aim of this study was to compare the histological features of colonic polyps as analysed by the study of biopsy-forceps obtained samples with those assessed on scrutinizing the totally resected growths. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study included a cohort of 59 patients in whom, in the course of an elective colonoscopy, a total excision of a 6 mm-sized or larger polyp was called for. Sizeable biopsies were obtained by means of an Olympus Multibyte forceps prior to the total polypectomy. Subsequent to the study of the polypectomy specimens, the forceps biopsy samples were submitted for histological examination. The pathologists were blinded as to the source of the tissue they were studying. The diagnoses rendered by evaluating the biopsy samples and polypectomy specimens of each patient were contrasted with each other. RESULTS: Major discrepancies between the histological features of the fragments captured by the biopsy-forceps and the factual nature of the totally removed polyps were uncovered in 11 (18.6%) of 59 cases. Intriguingly, the grade of the tumours was underrated in all the 11 cases, as judged by contrasting the tentative diagnoses of the forceps-biopsies with the decisive diagnoses of the polypectomies. Importantly, 2 adenocarcinomas would have been missed by just looking at the forceps-retrieved sample. CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, a discordance of 18.6% is to be expected between the diagnoses rendered after examining forceps-biopsies of and totally excised colonic polyps. Nevertheless, it is advisable to procure biopsies prior to the excision of the growths, because on those occasions in which patients' growths cannot be removed or have not been retrieved for one reason or another, a small forceps-captured tissue sample correctly reflects the characteristics of the polyp in 81.4% of the cases. Finally, the biopsies may be discarded in the event that total removal was successful.     

神经导航内窥镜辅助下单鼻孔入路垂体腺瘤切除

目的神经导航、内窥镜辅助下垂体腺瘤的经单鼻孔经蝶手术治疗。方法对6例经磁共振成像诊断垂体腺瘤的病人术前进行磁共振成像定位,将影像资料输入导航工作站,作术前手术计划。采用零度及45度镜经单鼻腔,在导航的动态指引下确认鞍底,于内窥镜下实施瘤实质切除。结果本组5例完全切除,1例因为瘤实质较韧而作大部分切除,术后病人的视力均得到了改善。导航预期误差1.48mm,实际误差1.8mm。结论神经导航引导下的经鼻蝶垂体腺瘤手术定位准确,内窥镜下操作对鼻腔的解剖结构影响小、组织损伤轻,病人恢复快。     

经鼻垂体瘤68例切除及CT、MRI、神经导航分析

目的：探讨垂体瘤的治疗方法。方法：使用显微镜结合CT、MRI及神经导航系统行经鼻蝶手术。结果：68例病人无一人死亡，其中尿崩为7％左右，且为一过性，复发2例。结论：熟知局部解剖，利用CT、MRI及导航技术，不断提高手术技巧，有助于进一步降低经蝶垂体瘤手术并发症的发生。