The Empty Sella Turcica

Author(s):  
Jean-François Bonneville ◽  
Françoise Cattin ◽  
Jean-Louis Dietemann
Keyword(s):  
1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. I. Dedov ◽  
T. S. Zenkova ◽  
G. A. Mel'nichenko ◽  
O. I. Belichenko ◽  
I. D. Fedina

1976 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Schaison ◽  
J. Metzger

ABSTRACT Twelve patients (10 women and 2 men) with a primary empty sella turcica were studied. Endocrine function tests were performed as follows: growth hormone (GH) was measured after insulin-induced-hypoglycaemia, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) after LH-releasing hormone, thyrotrophin (TSH) and prolactin after thyrotrophin-releasing hormone; pituitary reserve of adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) was determined by measurement of plasma cortisol after lysinevasopressin and 11 deoxycortisol after metyrapone. Five of the patients (group A) had no endocrine disturbance. Seven patients (group B) had a hypothalamo-pituitary disorder. Two of them had panhypopituitarism which appeared in one case after meningoencephalitis and in the other after a severe cranial trauma. In two cases an amenorrhoea-galactorrhoea syndrome with increased prolactin level (68 and 230 ng/ml) led to a diagnosis of a prolactin producing adenoma, which was confirmed by surgery. Finally three cases of amenorrhoeagalactorrhoea, with normal prolactin level, and/or diabetes insipidus remained unexplained. However, no causal relationship could be demonstrated between the pituitary disturbance and the "empty sella". Primary empty sella turcica is therefore a neuroanatomical and neuroradiological entity with no endocrine implication. A pituitary disorder might suggest a microadenoma or an incidentally associated disease.


2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-168
Author(s):  
Dragan Jovanovic ◽  
Zoran Kovacevic ◽  
Tamara Dragovic ◽  
Marijana Petrovic ◽  
Jelena Tadic

Introduction. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is acute infective multisystemic disease followed by febrility, hemorrhages and acute renal insufficiency. Bleeding in the anterior pituitary lobe leading to tissue necrosis occurs in acute stage of severe clinical forms of HFRS, while atrophy of the anterior pituitary lobe with diminution of the gland function occurs after recovery stage. Case report. We presented a patient with the development of chronic renal insufficiency and hypopituitarism as complication that had been diagnosed six years after Hantavirus infection. Magnetic resonance of the pituitary gland revealed atrophy and empty sella turcica. Conclusion. Regarding frequency of this viral infection and its endemic character in some parts of our country partial and/or complete loss of pituitary function should be considered during the late stage of HFRS.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. e243992
Author(s):  
Ayşe Y Demir ◽  
Christine P Oldenburg-Ligtenberg ◽  
Bianca Loredana Toma-Stan ◽  
Albert van de Wiel

A 53-year-old woman was referred for medical evaluation of therapy-resistant dyslipidaemia accompanied by elevated creatine kinase levels. Because cessation or alteration of her medication did not improve laboratory abnormalities, hypothyroidism was considered, despite the fact that thyroid stimulating hormone levels were within the reference interval. On further evaluation, she was found to have panhypopituitarism and empty sella turcica as shown by MRI. These findings were unexpected since there was no clinical suspicion during detailed evaluation. When supplementary questions were asked, she brought up a history of severe postpartum haemorrhage 30 years ago, for which she underwent a hysterectomy. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed with Sheehan’s syndrome. This syndrome is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of postpartum haemorrhage, characterised by varying degrees of hypopituitarism that are most commonly presented many years after delivery. The patient recovered after adequate hormone replacement therapy.


Author(s):  
Chayma Besrour ◽  
Imen Rojbi ◽  
Youssef Lakhoua ◽  
Nadia Mchirgui ◽  
Ibtissem Ben Nacef ◽  
...  

1972 ◽  
Vol 13 (P1) ◽  
pp. 413-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Kaufman ◽  
William B. Chamberlin
Keyword(s):  

1981 ◽  
Vol 57 (666) ◽  
pp. 235-237
Author(s):  
B. Velkeniers ◽  
D. Desir ◽  
D. Manicourt ◽  
F. Chanoine ◽  
M. Dupont ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 550-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.Y. Chen ◽  
S.H. Ying ◽  
M.S. Yao ◽  
W.T. Chiu ◽  
W.P. Chan

2003 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney J. Schlosser ◽  
William E. Bolger

OBJECTIVE: The role of elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressures in the pathophysiology of various CSF leaks is not clear. Empty sella syndrome (ESS) is a radiographic finding that can be associated with elevated CSF pressures and may represent a radiographic indicator of intracranial hypertension. We present our experience with CSF leaks of various causes, the prevalence of ESS in the spontaneous and nonspontaneous categories, and the potential pathophysiology and unique management issues of the spontaneous CSF leak group. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of medical records, imaging studies, and surgical treatment of CSF leaks in patients treated by the senior author. RESULTS: Sixteen patients with spontaneous CSF leaks and 12 patients with nonspontaneous CSF leaks were surgically treated from 1996 through 2002. In the spontaneous group, 15 patients had complete imaging of the sella turcica. Ten had completely empty sellae and 5 had partially empty sellae, for a total of 100% (15 of 15). In the nonspontaneous group, 9 patients had complete imaging of the sella. Only 11% (1 of 9) had a partially empty sella and that was a congenital leak. Comparison of proportions between these 2 groups was significant ( P = 0.01). The spontaneous group consisted primarily of obese, middle-aged females (13 of 16 patients). CONCLUSION: Empty sella probably represents a sign of elevated intracranial pressure that leads to idiopathic, spontaneous CSF leaks. Spontaneous CSF leaks are strongly associated with the radiographic finding of an empty sella and are more common in obese females, similar to benign intracranial hypertension. This unique population may require more aggressive surgical and medical treatment to prevent recurrent or multiple leaks.


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