Isolated Third Cranial Nerve Palsy Associated with Sudden Worsening of Hypotonic Hyponatremia Secondary to Ischemic Pituitary Apoplexy
Pituitary apoplexy (PA) is a rare medical emergency. The sudden pressure increase in the sella turcica may determine compression on the surrounding structures determining the classical symptomatology associated, especially visual field impairment and/or ocular palsies and hypopituitarism; hypotonic...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Endocrines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-396X/4/3/47 |
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| author | Emanuele Varaldo Alessandro Maria Berton Mauro Maccario Valentina Gasco |
| author_facet | Emanuele Varaldo Alessandro Maria Berton Mauro Maccario Valentina Gasco |
| author_sort | Emanuele Varaldo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pituitary apoplexy (PA) is a rare medical emergency. The sudden pressure increase in the sella turcica may determine compression on the surrounding structures determining the classical symptomatology associated, especially visual field impairment and/or ocular palsies and hypopituitarism; hypotonic hyponatremia may occur too, even if it is not common. Although already described in the literature, cases of isolated III cranial nerve palsies are extremely rare events. We report the case of a mid-60-year-old man with a known pituitary adenoma accessing the Emergency Department (ED) for worsening headaches unresponsive to analgesics, with a morphological picture consistent with ischemic PA, despite no dimensional increase of the pituitary lesion; upon ED access, a mild paucisymptomatic hyponatremia was also observed. Dexamethasone and mannitol were empirically introduced upon neurosurgical indication and tramadol and ketorolac were promptly administered as well, but without benefit. In the next days, a severe hypotonic hyponatremia was evidenced and a clear left III cranial nerve palsy developed, but no clear signs of cerebral bleeding or ischemia, nor a significant compression on the homolateral cavernous sinus, were observed. Upon ruling out other possible causes, a likely diagnosis of syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD) was made, confirmed by the quick response to fluid restriction. Overall, the sudden fall in tonicity plasma levels seemed to contribute to the exacerbation of the neurological deficit since the normalization of sodium levels was associated with a rapid and complete reversion of the III cranial nerve palsy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:49:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-11374a1655824e999e553f3a15002239 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-396X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:49:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Endocrines |
| spelling | doaj.art-11374a1655824e999e553f3a150022392023-11-19T10:24:44ZengMDPI AGEndocrines2673-396X2023-09-014366467110.3390/endocrines4030047Isolated Third Cranial Nerve Palsy Associated with Sudden Worsening of Hypotonic Hyponatremia Secondary to Ischemic Pituitary ApoplexyEmanuele Varaldo0Alessandro Maria Berton1Mauro Maccario2Valentina Gasco3Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Department of Medical Sciences, “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino” University Hospital, 10126 Turin, ItalyDivision of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Department of Medical Sciences, “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino” University Hospital, 10126 Turin, ItalyDivision of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Department of Medical Sciences, “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino” University Hospital, 10126 Turin, ItalyDivision of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Department of Medical Sciences, “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino” University Hospital, 10126 Turin, ItalyPituitary apoplexy (PA) is a rare medical emergency. The sudden pressure increase in the sella turcica may determine compression on the surrounding structures determining the classical symptomatology associated, especially visual field impairment and/or ocular palsies and hypopituitarism; hypotonic hyponatremia may occur too, even if it is not common. Although already described in the literature, cases of isolated III cranial nerve palsies are extremely rare events. We report the case of a mid-60-year-old man with a known pituitary adenoma accessing the Emergency Department (ED) for worsening headaches unresponsive to analgesics, with a morphological picture consistent with ischemic PA, despite no dimensional increase of the pituitary lesion; upon ED access, a mild paucisymptomatic hyponatremia was also observed. Dexamethasone and mannitol were empirically introduced upon neurosurgical indication and tramadol and ketorolac were promptly administered as well, but without benefit. In the next days, a severe hypotonic hyponatremia was evidenced and a clear left III cranial nerve palsy developed, but no clear signs of cerebral bleeding or ischemia, nor a significant compression on the homolateral cavernous sinus, were observed. Upon ruling out other possible causes, a likely diagnosis of syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD) was made, confirmed by the quick response to fluid restriction. Overall, the sudden fall in tonicity plasma levels seemed to contribute to the exacerbation of the neurological deficit since the normalization of sodium levels was associated with a rapid and complete reversion of the III cranial nerve palsy.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-396X/4/3/47pituitary apoplexythird cranial nerve palsymotor dysfunctionsyndrome of inappropriate antidiuresisSIAD |
| spellingShingle | Emanuele Varaldo Alessandro Maria Berton Mauro Maccario Valentina Gasco Isolated Third Cranial Nerve Palsy Associated with Sudden Worsening of Hypotonic Hyponatremia Secondary to Ischemic Pituitary Apoplexy Endocrines pituitary apoplexy third cranial nerve palsy motor dysfunction syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis SIAD |
| title | Isolated Third Cranial Nerve Palsy Associated with Sudden Worsening of Hypotonic Hyponatremia Secondary to Ischemic Pituitary Apoplexy |
| title_full | Isolated Third Cranial Nerve Palsy Associated with Sudden Worsening of Hypotonic Hyponatremia Secondary to Ischemic Pituitary Apoplexy |
| title_fullStr | Isolated Third Cranial Nerve Palsy Associated with Sudden Worsening of Hypotonic Hyponatremia Secondary to Ischemic Pituitary Apoplexy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Isolated Third Cranial Nerve Palsy Associated with Sudden Worsening of Hypotonic Hyponatremia Secondary to Ischemic Pituitary Apoplexy |
| title_short | Isolated Third Cranial Nerve Palsy Associated with Sudden Worsening of Hypotonic Hyponatremia Secondary to Ischemic Pituitary Apoplexy |
| title_sort | isolated third cranial nerve palsy associated with sudden worsening of hypotonic hyponatremia secondary to ischemic pituitary apoplexy |
| topic | pituitary apoplexy third cranial nerve palsy motor dysfunction syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis SIAD |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-396X/4/3/47 |
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