Asymtomatic pituitary apoplexy after aortocoronary bypass surgery
A Bhattacharyya, DJ Tymms, N Naqvi
International Journal of Clinical Practice 1999:53;394-5.
Pituitary apoplexy usually presents with acute neuro-opthalmological complications that require urgent neurosurgical intervention. We present a case of pituitary apoplexy following aortocoronary bypass surgery that was asymptomatic until the patient presented with features of hormonal deficiency three months later. Only one case of pituitary apoplexy has been described in the literature following cardiac surgery that did not require operative intervention. We discuss the aetiology of pituitary apoplexy and the possible mechanism for such an event after cardiac surgery. Although it is rare, any unusual feature after operation such as lethargy or erectile dysfunction should remind us of hypopituitarism.