Hypopituitarism and sphenoid surgery.

A middle-aged white man underwent sphenoid and ethmoid surgery for rhinitis with polyposis. Within days, he developed severe fatigue, myalgias and arthralgias. Initial testing demonstrated central hypogonadism, followed by a low normal insulin-like growth factor-1 and an abnormal L-dopamine growth hormone stimulation test result. As years past, the patient would have such recurrent symptoms when ill with the addition of nausea and vomiting. Testing, 7 years after his initial surgery, confirmed inappropriate thyroid and cortisol responses. His clinical symptoms have resolved with appropriate medical therapy. A review of the literature demonstrated no descriptions of hypopituitarism from sphenoid surgery.