TITLE:
Pituitary Apoplexy in Pituitary Adenoma: About 16 Cases
AUTHORS:
Maguette Mbaye, Ansoumana Donzo, Hugues Atakla, Mbaye Thioub, Daouda Wague, Nantenin Doumbia, Alioune Badara Thiam, Momar Code Ba
KEYWORDS:
Apoplexy, Pituitary Adenomas, Endoscopy
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Modern Neurosurgery,
Vol.15 No.2,
February
6,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Pituitary apoplexy is a rare condition caused by hemorrhage or infarction of the pituitary gland, often in the context of a pituitary adenoma. This study aimed to examine the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, therapeutic, and progressive characteristics of pituitary apoplexy caused by pituitary adenoma. Patients and Method: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study, analyzing 16 medical files of patients hospitalized for pituitary apoplexy out of 160 cases of pituitary adenomas in the Neurosurgery Department of the National University Hospital Center of Fann over a 6-year period, from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2020. Results: We collected 16 cases of pituitary apoplexy over 6 years. The average age of our patients was 42.5 years, ranging from 17 to 79 years. Males were most represented, accounting for 80% of cases, with a sex ratio of M/F = 4. The clinical presentation included tumor syndrome (headache and neurological signs), endocrine signs, and general signs. In this study, 93.75% of patients underwent surgery via a transsphenoidal approach under endoscopy, with one case of incomplete excision (6.25%). Complications were mainly diabetes insipidus and nasal obstruction, occurring in 31.25% and 18.75% of cases, respectively. Conclusion: Pituitary apoplexy is a rare but serious complication of pituitary adenomas. It requires prompt diagnosis, confirmed by medical imaging. Hormone replacement therapy and tumor excision provide satisfactory results.