What is a midline pituitary stalk?

What is a midline pituitary stalk?

The pituitary stalk (also known as the infundibular stalk, Fenderson’s funnel, or simply the infundibulum) is the connection between the hypothalamus and the posterior pituitary.

What is congenital hypopituitarism?

Congenital hypopituitarism (CH) is defined as the deficiency of one or more hormones produced by the anterior pituitary (AP) or released from the posterior pituitary (PP). Its estimated incidence is between 1 in 4,000 and 1 in 10,000 live births (1).

What causes hypopituitarism in newborns?

Hypopituitarism in children may be caused by: a genetic condition that affects the development of either the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus (a part of the brain that sends signals to the pituitary) pituitary tumors or other tumors that infringe on either the pituitary or the hypothalamus. radiation to the head.

What is the most common cause of hypopituitarism?

We have confirmed that the most common cause of hypopituitarism is a nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (40.5%), followed by congenital causes (14.6%), prolactinomas and GH-secreting adenomas equally (7.0% and 7.2%), and craniopharyngiomas (5.9%).

What causes thickening of pituitary stalk?

The common etiologies presenting with central diabetes insipidus (DI) associated with a thickened pituitary stalk in the pediatric population are: Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH), central nervous system tumors such as germinoma and craniopharyngioma, granulomatous lesions like tuberculosis and sarcoidosis and …

What does the Infundibulum do?

The infundibulum catches and channels the released eggs; it is the wide distal (outermost) portion of each fallopian tube. The endings of the fimbriae extend over the ovary; they contract close to the ovary’s surface during ovulation in order to guide the free egg.

Can hypopituitarism be cured?

Although there is no cure for hypopituitarism, it is treatable. Successful hormone replacement therapy can enable a patient to live a normal life, feel well and not have the consequences of hormone deficiency.

How do I know if my child has hypopituitarism?

What are the symptoms of hypopituitarism in a child?

1. A small penis in a newborn boy.
2. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
3. Slow growth.
4. Short height.
5. Late or no sexual maturity.
6. Yellow tint to skin and eyes (jaundice) at birth.
7. Low appetite.
8. Weight loss or weight gain.

What medication is used for hypopituitarism?

Medications

• Corticosteroids. These drugs, such as hydrocortisone (Cortef) or prednisone (Rayos), replace the adrenal hormones that aren’t being produced because of an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency.
• Levothyroxine (Levoxyl, Synthroid, others).
• Sex hormones.
• Growth hormone.
• Fertility hormones.

Would a pituitary tumor show up on an MRI?

They are very helpful in looking at the brain and spinal cord and are considered to be the best way to find pituitary tumors of all types. MRI images are usually more detailed than those from CT scans (see below). They can show macroadenomas of the pituitary gland, as well as most microadenomas.