Pituitary adenoma apoplexy presenting with bilateral third nerve palsy and bilateral proptosis: a case report

Bilateral Sixth Nerve Palsy: A Rare Presentation of Primary Hypophysitis

Cranial nerve palsy is common in pituitary disease and depends on the extension of the lesion into the cavernous sinuses. Bilateral cranial nerve palsy was described in pituitary adenomas with apoplexy and in only one case in hypophysitis. We present a case of a 32-year-old female manifesting with headache, diplopia, bilateral sixth nerve palsy, and hypopituitarism. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed symmetric expansion of the pituitary gland, with bilateral cavernous sinus invasion and thickening of the pituitary stalk. Hypophysitis was suspected, and after treatment with IV methylprednisolone boluses, a decrease in the pituitary lesion was observed, with complete remission of sixth nerve palsy in the right eye and partial improvement in the left eye. In this case, we report an infrequent form of presentation of hypophysitis, and highlight that steroids are the first line of treatment.

Pituitary Apoplexy in Patients with Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors (PitNET)

Various complications of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNET) are reported, and an intratumor hemorrhage or infarct underlying pituitary apoplexy (PA) represents an uncommon, yet potentially life-threatening, feature, and thus early recognition and prompt intervention are important. Our purpose is to overview PA from clinical presentation to management and outcome. This is a narrative review of the English-language, PubMed-based original articles from 2012 to 2022 concerning PA, with the exception of pregnancy- and COVID-19-associated PA, and non-spontaneous PA (prior specific therapy for PitNET). We identified 194 original papers including 1452 patients with PA (926 males, 525 females, and one transgender male; a male-to-female ratio of 1.76; mean age at PA diagnostic of 50.52 years, the youngest being 9, the oldest being 85). Clinical presentation included severe headache in the majority of cases (but some exceptions are registered, as well); neuro-ophthalmic panel with nausea and vomiting, meningism, and cerebral ischemia; respectively, decreased visual acuity to complete blindness in two cases; visual field defects: hemianopia, cranial nerve palsies manifesting as diplopia in the majority, followed by ptosis and ophthalmoplegia (most frequent cranial nerve affected was the oculomotor nerve, and, rarely, abducens and trochlear); proptosis (N = 2 cases). Risk factors are high blood pressure followed by diabetes mellitus as the main elements. Qualitative analysis also pointed out infections, trauma, hematologic conditions (thrombocytopenia, polycythemia), Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and T3 thyrotoxicosis. Iatrogenic elements may be classified into three main categories: medication, diagnostic tests and techniques, and surgical procedures. The first group is dominated by anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs; additionally, at a low level of statistical evidence, we mention androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer, chemotherapy, thyroxine therapy, oral contraceptives, and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors. The second category includes a dexamethasone suppression test, clomiphene use, combined endocrine stimulation tests, and a regadenoson myocardial perfusion scan. The third category involves major surgery, laparoscopic surgery, coronary artery bypass surgery, mitral valvuloplasty, endonasal surgery, and lumbar fusion surgery in a prone position. PA in PitNETs still represents a challenging condition requiring a multidisciplinary team from first presentation to short- and long-term management. Controversies involve the specific panel of risk factors and adequate protocols with concern to neurosurgical decisions and their timing versus conservative approach. The present decade-based analysis, to our knowledge the largest so far on published cases, confirms a lack of unanimous approach and criteria of intervention, a large panel of circumstantial events, and potential triggers with different levels of statistical significance, in addition to a heterogeneous clinical picture (if any, as seen in subacute PA) and a spectrum of evolution that varies from spontaneous remission and control of PitNET-associated hormonal excess to exitus. Awareness is mandatory. A total of 25 cohorts have been published so far with more than 10 PA cases/studies, whereas the largest cohorts enrolled around 100 patients. Further studies are necessary.

A Case of Nonapoplectic Pituitary Adenoma Presenting with Isolated Oculomotor Nerve Palsy

We report a rare case of nonapoplectic pituitary adenoma that did not invade the cavernous sinus and was associated with isolated oculomotor nerve palsy. A 61-year-old male was admitted to our hospital due to diplopia that had gradually worsened from 6 months to presentation. He was diagnosed with right oculomotor nerve palsy, and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a mass lesion within the sella. The tumor was homogeneously enhanced on contrast-enhanced MRI. However, no findings suggestive of pituitary apoplexy were found. Brain computed tomography revealed the tumor to have eroded the right side of the posterior clinoid process by gradual expansion. Endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery was used for complete resection of the tumor. Intraoperative findings showed that the tumor did not invade the cavernous sinus. The histological diagnosis was pituitary adenoma, and symptom improvement was observed from the early postoperative stage onward. Surgical treatment is essential because oculomotor nerve palsy caused by the enlargement of pituitary adenoma is not expected to resolve if treated conservatively, unlike that caused by pituitary apoplexy.

Comparative analysis of pituitary adenoma with and without apoplexy in pediatric and adolescent patients: a clinical series of 80 patients

Pituitary adenomas (PAs) have a low incidence in pediatric and adolescent patients, and their clinical characteristics remain unclear. As a severe complication of PA, apoplexy was investigated in young patients in the present study. Eighty patients younger than 20 years with PAs who underwent surgery were included and divided into an apoplexy group and non-apoplexy group. The clinical data of these two groups were statistically analyzed and compared. The study included 33 boys and 47 girls, with a mean age of 16.9 years. There were six (7.5%) adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting, 13 (16.3%) growth hormone-secreting, 47 (58.7%) prolactin-secreting, and 14 (17.5%) non-functioning PAs. There were 34 (42.5%) patients in the apoplexy group and 46 (57.5%) patients in the non-apoplexy group. Pre-operatively, patients in the apoplexy group were more likely to have visual impairment (hazard ratio: 2.841, 95% confidence interval: 1.073-7.519; P = 0.033) and had poorer visual impairment scores than those in the non-apoplexy group (P = 0.027). Furthermore, a longer duration of symptoms before surgery was significantly correlated with a poorer visual outcome in the apoplexy group (R =  - 1.204; P = 0.035). However, apoplexy was not associated with tumor type, tumor size, resection rate, or tumor recurrence. Tumor apoplexy is common in pediatric and adolescent patients with PAs and is associated with more severe preoperative visual deficits. Hence, the appropriate timing of surgical treatment may be important for rescuing visual function in young PA patients.

Cavernous sinus lesions

The cavernous sinus is a complex structure susceptible to a wide variety of vascular, neoplastic and inflammatory pathologies. Vascular pathologies include ICA aneurysms, carotid-cavernous fistulas, cavernous sinus thrombosis, and cavernous hemangioma. Neoplasms that involve the cavernous sinus include pituitary adenoma, meningioma, schwannoma, lymphoma, perineural tumor spread, metastases, and direct tumor invasion. Infectious and inflammatory diseases include Tolosa-Hunt syndrome, sarcoidosis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, IgG-4 related disease and invasive fungal infections. In this article, we review the clinical and imaging findings of a number of pathologies involving the cavernous sinus, focusing on key features that can narrow the differential diagnosis and, in some cases, support a particular diagnosis.

Pituitary Apoplexy Presenting as Ophthalmoplegia and Altered Level of Consciousness without Headache

Background. Pituitary apoplexy (PA) is a clinical syndrome caused by acute ischemic infarction or hemorrhage of the pituitary gland. The typical clinical presentation of PA includes acute onset of severe headache, visual disturbance, cranial nerve palsy, and altered level of consciousness. Case Report. A 78-year-old man presented to the emergency department with one-day history of ptosis and diplopia and an acute-onset episode of altered level of consciousness which was resolving. He denied having headache, nausea, or vomiting. Physical examination revealed third-cranial nerve palsy and fourth-cranial nerve palsy both on the right side. Noncontrast computed tomography (CT) scan of the head was unremarkable. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a pituitary mass with hemorrhage (apoplexy) and extension to the right cavernous sinus. The patient developed another episode of altered level of consciousness in the hospital. Transsphenoidal resection of the tumor was done which resulted in complete recovery of the ophthalmoplegia and mental status. Conclusion. Pituitary apoplexy can present with ophthalmoplegia and altered level of consciousness without having headache, nausea, or vomiting. A CT scan of the head could be negative for hemorrhage. A high index of suspicion is needed for early diagnosis and timely management of pituitary apoplexy.

Recurrent pituitary apoplexy due to two successive neoplasms presenting with ocular paresis and epistaxis

A case of recurrent pituitary apoplexy is described in a 72-year-old man who initially presented with haemorrhage in a non-functioning pituitary adenoma. Five years later, he re-presented with a severe pituitary haemorrhage in an enlarging sellar mass invading both cavernous sinuses causing epistaxis and bilateral ocular paresis. Subsequent histology was consistent with a sellar malignant spindle and round cell neoplasm. Multiple pituitary tumours have previously been reported to coexist in the same individual, but to our knowledge this is the only case where two pathologically distinct pituitary neoplasms have sequentially arisen in a single patient. This case is also notable with respect to the progressive ocular paresis, including bilateral abducens nerve palsies, and the presentation with epistaxis.

LEARNING POINTS

Ocular paresis in pituitary apoplexy can result from tumour infiltration of nerves, or by indirect compression via increased intrasellar pressure.Epistaxis is a very rare presentation of a pituitary lesion.Epistaxis more commonly occurs following trans-sphenoidal surgery, and can be delayed.

Encephalopathy, Chiasmal Compression, Ophthalmoplegia, and Diabetes Insipidus in Pituitary Apoplexy

Pituitary apoplexy with haemorrhage is a potentially life-threatening condition, and a rare cause of third nerve palsies. The range of vision loss and ophthalmoplegia seen in cases of apoplexy reflects the variability of cranial structures compressed by mass effect. The pathophysiology of extraocular muscle limitation and facial paraesthesia occurs with compression of the cavernous sinus, which contains cranial nerves III, IV, VI, and the ophthalmic branch of V. Blood supply to adjacent structures may be also compromised, causing additional loss of function. This case report of a patient with diabetes insipidus and a third nerve palsy illustrates the anatomic basis of the presenting signs of pituitary apoplexy, and the necessity for prompt neuroimaging if it is suspected.

Sudden headache, third nerve palsy and visual deficit: thinking outside the subarachnoid haemorrhage box

A 75-year-old lady presented with sudden severe headache and vomiting. Examination was normal, and CT and lumbar puncture not convincing for subarachnoid haemorrhage. Shortly thereafter, she developed painless diplopia. Examination confirmed right third cranial nerve palsy plus homonymous left inferior quadrantanopia. Urgent cerebral MRI with angiography was requested to assess for a possible posterior communicating artery aneurysm, but revealed an unsuspected pituitary mass. Pituitary adenoma with pituitary apoplexy was diagnosed. Pituitary apopolexy is a syndrome comprising sudden headache, meningism, visual and/or oculomotor deficits, with an intrasellar mass. It is commonly due to haemorrhage or infarction within a pituitary adenoma. Treatment includes prompt steroid administration, and potentially surgical decompression. While subarachnoid haemorrhage is an important, well-recognised cause of sudden severe headache, other aetiologies, including pituitary apoplexy, should be considered and sought.