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Hypopituitarism after moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is usually underdiagnosed and therefore undertreated. Its course can be divided in an acute phase during the first 14 days after TBI with 50 to 80% risk of hypopituitarism, and a chronic phase, beginning three months after the event, with a prevalence of hypopituitarism that ranges from 2 to 70%. Its pathophysiology has been addressed in several studies, suggesting that a vascular injury to the pituitary tissue is the most important mechanism during the acute phase, and an autoimmune one during chronic stages. In the acute phase, there are difficulties to correctly interpret pituitary axes. Hence, we propose a simple and cost-effective algorithm to detect and treat a potential hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis impairment and alterations of sodium homeostasis, both of which can be life-threatening. In the chronic phase, post-concussion syndrome is the most important differential diagnosis. Given the high prevalence of hypopituitarism, we suggest that all pituitary axes should be assessed in all patients with moderate to severe TBI, between 3 to 6 months after the event, and then repeated at 12 months after trauma by a specialized team in pituitary disease.

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Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 56 años con diagnóstico de estesioneuroblastoma Kadish C/Hyams II tratado con resección quirúrgica mediante un abordaje endoscópico endonasal puro y radioterapia adyuvante. Describimos el caso y discutimos sus aspectos relevantes.

Propósito: Establecer el valor pronóstico del grosor peripapilar de la capa de fibras de las células ganglionares (CFCG) cuantificado a la Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica (OCT) como factor pronóstico visual posterior a la resección de tumores selares. Material y Método: Estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo en pacientes sometidos a resección transesfenoidal microscópica de tumores selares con evaluación oftalmológica preoperatoria (evaluación por especialista, campo visual 24 Sita Standard (CV 24-2 SS) y OCT Stratus de papila) y postoperatoria (evaluación por especialista y CV 24-2 SS). El seguimiento mínimo fue de 3 meses. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó el coeficiente de correlación de Pearson y Spearman, y regresión lineal. Resultados principales: Se incluyó un total de 18 pacientes. En la evaluación prequirúrgica los pacientes presentaron agudeza visual (AV) promedio de 0,70 en Snellen (0,15 en logMAR, rango 0-4 logMAR), una desviación media (DM) promedio de -9,25 dB (0,4 a -30,4 dB) y un grosor de CFCG de 83.7 μm promedio (45,24 a 115,37 μm). En la evaluación postoperatoria los pacientes presentaron AVpromedio de 0,78 Snellen (0,1 logMAR, rango 0-1,3) y una DMpromedio de -5,58 dB (2,31, -32,39 dB). Se encontró una correlación positiva (r2 = 0,51) entre el grosor de CFCG y la DM postoperatoria, con tendencia a la menor mejoría del CV y AV con grosores bajo 80 μm. Conclusión: Una capa de fibras nerviosas bajo 80 μm al OCT Stratus se correlacionó con menor mejoría visual postoperatoria en pacientes sometidos a cirugia transesfenoidal de tumores selares.

Hypopituitarism after moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is usually underdiagnosed and therefore undertreated. Its course can be divided in an acute phase during the first 14 days after TBI with 50 to 80% risk of hypopituitarism, and a chronic phase, beginning three months after the event, with a prevalence of hypopituitarism that ranges from 2 to 70%. Its pathophysiology has been addressed in several studies, suggesting that a vascular injury to the pituitary tissue is the most important mechanism during the acute phase, and an autoimmune one during chronic stages. In the acute phase, there are difficulties to correctly interpret pituitary axes. Hence, we propose a simple and cost-effective algorithm to detect and treat a potential hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis impairment and alterations of sodium homeostasis, both of which can be life-threatening. In the chronic phase, post-concussion syndrome is the most important differential diagnosis. Given the high prevalence of hypopituitarism, we suggest that all pituitary axes should be assessed in all patients with moderate to severe TBI, between 3 to 6 months after the event, and then repeated at 12 months after trauma by a specialized team in pituitary disease.

Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 13 años con un gran tumor de características óseas en la fosa infratemporal derecha, el cual fue biopsiado mediante un abordaje endoscópico transeptal transpterigoídeo. La biospia mostró un osteocondroma. Describimos el caso y discutimos sus aspectos relevantes.

There is consensus in promoting the selective use of glucocorticoids (GC) in the peri-operative period of transsphenoidal surgery (TE) for pituitary adenomas (PA).To evaluate the safety of a selective glucocorticoid administration protocol and the usefulness of immediate postoperative cortisol levels as a predictor of final eucortisolism.Clinical and biochemical data from 40 patients aged 27 to 78 years (65% males) were prospectively collected. Exclusion criteria were previous use of GC, apoplexy and Cushing disease. Patients with pre-operative short synthetic ACTH test (SST)18 µg/dl or basal cortisol15 µg/dl did not receive GC. A morning serum cortisol (SC) threshold of 10 µg/dl in postoperative days one to three was used to decide a discharge without GC. Hypotension, dizziness or nausea, requirement of increased dose of corticosteroids, hospitalizations and emergency service visits were investigated, as well as surgical and endocrinological complications. Corticotropic status was evaluated three months after surgery.Macroadenomas were present in 87% of patients. Median hospital stay was 4 days and follow up lasted 9 months. No differences were found in gender, age or tumor size between patients who received or not GC (35 and 65% respectively). Eighty five percent of patients were discharged without GC and all of them had normal corticotropic function three months after surgery. A SC ≥ 15 µg/dl had 100% specificity to predict eucortisolism.Selective glucocorticoid administration is safe. A normal corticotropic function before surgery and in the immediate postoperative period are useful to identify patients who do not need GC.

Pancoast tumor with synchronous hypofisiary lesion Pancoast tumors represent a rare presentation of lung cancer. Their particular location delays diagnosis and makes resection difficult. Nevertheless recent advances in surgical techniques and multi-modality therapy (chemo-radiation followed by surgery) had increased resection rates and achieved long term survival. We present the case of a 62-year-old woman with an extensive Pancoast tumor and a synchronous hypofisiary lesion. We carried out an exhaustive staging workout determining that the infratentorial lesion was a hypofisiary adenoma. She underwent induction chemo-radiotherapy and posterior surgery. A complete resection was possible with prolonged survival and minimal functional disability. We present the evolution in management of Pancoast tumors and our approach to patients with suspicious metastases in potentially resectable tumors.

Background: Brain metastases are the most common cerebral tumors, have a poor prognosis and their incidence is five times higher than primary brain tumors. Aim: To analyze the survival of patients with the diagnosis of brain metastases, operated in our institution. Patients and methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients operated from January 1989 to December 2001, whose pathological diagnosis confirmed the presence of cerebral metastases. The death date of each patient was obtained from the analysis of death certificates, obtained from the computerized National Registry. Results: In 46 operated patients, the date of death was determined. In 23 of them, information about primary site of malignancy, type of surgery performed and adjunctive treatment with Holocerebral Radiotherapy (Rt) was obtained. The overall median survival time of the 46 patients was 29 weeks (range 4207). Thirty percent of patients were alive one year after surgery. Among those patients with complete clinical information, the median survival of 16 patients who received postoperative Rt was 41 weeks (range 12207), compared to a survival of 18 weeks (range 872), among those that did not receive Rt (p = 0.04). Conclusions: The median survival for patients operated for cerebral metastases in our institution is 29 weeks. Those who are operated and receive Rt, have a longer survival, than those who did not receive Rt (Rev Méd Chile 2005; 133: 190-4)