title: Pituitary abscess in a pregnant woman.
abstract: Pituitary abscess is a rare and potentially lethal condition. Pituitary abscess in a pregnant woman has not been previously described. A 38-year-old pregnant woman (34 weeks gestation) with a pituitary mass complained of a progressive headache and sudden visual impairment. She was afebrile and had no inflammatory symptoms on admission. On MRI, the preoperative diagnosis was pituitary adenoma with sphenoid sinusitis. She underwent an uncomplicated transsphenoidal procedure for removal of the pituitary mass. The next day, labor commenced and a healthy preterm baby was delivered. Pathologic examination of the intrasellar mass showed polymorphonuclear cells, debris and no tumor cells. The sellar contents were cultured and Streptococcus viridans was grown. To our knowledge this is the first case of pituitary abscess reported during pregnancy. Although the patient was pregnant, the transsphenoidal approach was safe for the mother and the fetus. Surgical drainage and antibiotic therapy are required for the definitive treatment of this condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, 65-1 Kumohdong, Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi 480-130, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo-Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seok-Gu
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Pil-Woo
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.forename: Do Sung
authors.initials: do S
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Kyoung Suok
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Dal Soo
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome