title: Pituitary Cushing's syndrome and Nelson's syndrome: diagnostic criteria, surgical therapy, and results.
abstract: Eight patients with pituitary Cushing's syndrome and 2 with Nelson's syndrome were followed from one to ten years after removal of pituitary adenomas. A detailed assessment of the pituitary-adrenal axis was obtained in all patients when last seen, save the first, who had undergone a complete hypophysectomy ten years previously. Long-term observations have shown sustained endocrine cure in 7 of 8 patients with pituitary Cushing's syndrome. One patient with Nelson's syndrome was also cured. There was no operative morbidity or mortality. There were no instances of diabetes insipidus. The long-term results in this study indicate that patients with pituitary Cushing's syndrome have a better than 90% chance of being cured after transsphenoidal removal of the pituitary (micro) adenomas. Current diagnostic and therapeutic concepts in the management of pituitary Cushing's syndrome are discussed in detail.
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009347:Nelson Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone