[Acute hemorrhage and ischemic necroses in hypophyseal tumors: hypophyseal apoplexy].

Acute enlargement of pituitary adenomas due to haemorrhage or ischaemic necrosis in the tumour was described as "pituitary apoplexy" by Brougham et al. in 1950. Since then, more than 200 cases have been reported, but--especially in the German literature--the syndrome has caught only little attention. Therefore, in a series of 12 own patients, typical findings and clinical characteristics are demonstrated and the literature is discussed. 9 patients had a haemorrhage into the tumour, 3 an acute ischaemic necrosis. The guiding symptom was the acute onset with ophthalmoplegia (11 of 12 patients). Only in one case the adenoma was known before the apoplexy. Other symptoms were headache, blurred vision, drowsiness and, in severe cases, hemiparesis, coma, and hypothalamic disorder. Most important is the acute endocrinological substitution with hydrocortisone; this may be life-saving. Neuroophthalmological recovery depends on early operation: cases of oculomotor palsy require an operation within the first 2 weeks after the acute event. An emergency operation is required only by an acute amaurosis. In general there will be enough time for careful clinical endocrinological and radiological investigations.