Pituitary Cushing's syndrome and Nelson's syndrome: diagnostic criteria, surgical therapy, and results

Abstract

Eight patients with pituitary Cushing's syndrome and 2 with Nelson's syndrome were followed from one to ten years after removal of pituitary adenomas. A detailed assessment of the pituitary-adrenal axis was obtained in all patients when last seen, save the first, who had undergone a complete hypophysectomy ten years previously. Long-term observations have shown sustained endocrine cure in 7 of 8 patients with pituitary Cushing's syndrome. One patient with Nelson's syndrome was also cured. There was no operative morbidity or mortality. There were no instances of diabetes insipidus. The long-term results in this study indicate that patients with pituitary Cushing's syndrome have a better than 90% chance of being cured after transsphenoidal removal of the pituitary (micro) adenomas. Current diagnostic and therapeutic concepts in the management of pituitary Cushing's syndrome are discussed in detail.