How to prevent hypopituitarism?

Everyone knows that the brain is not an independent organ. It also contains the most important growth regulator of the human body, the pituitary gland. This is a type of brain tissue that is responsible for growth. Anyone's height growth needs to be promoted by hormones secreted by the pituitary gland. However, the pituitary gland gradually loses its function as the body ages, which is why most people stop growing taller after adulthood. For young people, especially minors, hypopituitarism can be treated. Let’s take a look at how to treat and prevent hypopituitarism.

Hypopituitarism is a human disease whose signs and symptoms depend on its underlying cause and the lack of certain specific pituitary hormones. The first hormone lost in people with this disease is often gonadotropin, followed by GH, and finally TSH and ACTH. ADH deficiency is rare in primary pituitary disease but is common when the pituitary stalk and hypothalamus are damaged. The clinical symptoms are more obvious, so you need to pay more attention. For this disease, we should pay attention to inspection, diagnosis and differential diagnosis as well as treatment and prevention measures.

Treatment and prevention:

The goal of treatment is to replace the hormones of the target glands that are underactive. If hypopituitarism is due to a pituitary tumor, treatment should also include the tumor. There are differing opinions regarding the most appropriate management of these tumors. If the tumor is small, the most appropriate treatment is transsphenoidal resection of the tumor. High-voltage irradiation of the pituitary gland can also be performed. If the tumor is large or has extended above the sella turcica, and it is no longer possible to perform a transsphenoidal or transfrontal surgery to remove it completely, then auxiliary high-voltage radiation can be used.

Both surgery and radiation therapy may cause loss of other pituitary hormone functions. Irradiated patients may slowly lose their endocrine function over the next few years and may also develop visual impairment due to fibrosis of the optic chiasm nerves. Therefore, the amount of hormone should be measured regularly after treatment, preferably once every 3 months and 6 months, and then once a year. How extensive such testing should be is a matter of debate; however, it should include assessment of thyroid and adrenal function, radiography of the sella turcica, and examination of the visual fields.