title: Spontaneous pituitary apoplexy during the second trimester of pregnancy, with sensory loss.
abstract: A 32-year-old Hispanic woman at 23 weeks gestation presented with right-sided headache, associated with photophobia and right-sided numbness. She denied visual problems, menstrual irregularities and galactorrhoea. Examination revealed visual acuity 20/40 bilaterally with some blurriness on the left side, decreased right V1-V2 facial sensation and preserved 5/5 power, but decreased sensation over the entire right upper extremity (RUE) and right lower extremity (RLE) to touch and pinprick. Laboratories suggested normal pituitary function, but MRI of the brain revealed enlargement of the pituitary (1.7 cm), with layering haemorrhage posteriorly and mild compression of the optic nerve. The patient underwent emergent evacuation of a pituitary haematoma, and histology revealed minute fragments of adenohypophysis with haemorrhage and fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
authors.forename: Rtika R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Pollitzer
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gokden
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Goulden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006406:Hematoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D010899:Pituitary Apoplexy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity