Pain relief and pituitary function following injection of alcohol into the pituitary fossa.
Eleven patients were investigated for pituitary function after the injection of alcohol into the pituitary fossa; all had persistent pain and 8 had carcinoma of the breast. Most of the patients showed varying degrees of reduction of pituitary activity; 8 patients obtained significant pain relief and 3 patients exhibited polyuria. These 3 observations could not be completely correlated; the possible mechanisms which may lead to pain suppression by this method are discussed.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D010901:Pituitary Function Tests; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects*; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / Q000097:blood
D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior; D000431:Ethanol