title: Panhypopituitarism after multisystem trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pituitary gland plays a key role in hormonal regulation in the organism, contributing to maintenance of balance of basic vital functions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To emphasise the need for assessment of pituitary function after head injury, as correct diagnosis and hormone replacement therapy prove to be a life-saving therapy accelerating the recovery process.
  
  
  METHODS
  A healthy, normally developing 9-year-old girl, a child of young and healthy parents, was struck by a falling tree. The results of severe head trauma included adrenal crisis, hypothyroidism, and diabetes insipidus as manifestations of damage to the anterior and posterior pituitary gland. Administration of hormone replacement therapy, i.e. hydrocortisone, L-thyroxine, and desmopressin greatly improved the patient´s condition and facilitated effective rehabilitation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Determination of pituitary hormones in children after severe head injury should be an important part of diagnosis allowing identification of an early stage of acute hypopituitarism and acceleration of recovery through hormone replacement therapy.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wiechecka
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krzewska
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Droń
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Beń-Skowronek
mesh_terms: D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome