Transsphenoidal stereotaxic cryohypophysectomy for the management of pain in disseminated prostatic carcinoma.

Abstract

Nineteen adult males with disseminated carcinoma of the prostate gland associated with intractable pain were subjected to a transsphenoidal stereotaxic cryohypophysectomy. Growth hormone (GH) assays following insulin-induced hypoglycemia were obtained once during the preoperative and twice during the postoperative period. In the postoperative assays, a 73% or greater suppression of GH levels correlated with significant clinical remission and extended survival. In all patients who had as much as 73% reduction in GH level, pain relief occurred within 4 days or less after surgery. This study shows that subtotal hypophysectomy may be adequate to achieve satisfactory clinical remission and pain control. GH assay is a useful index of the adequacy of hypophysectomy.

• Authors: A M Avellanosa, C R West
• Journal: Journal of medicine (J Med) Vol. 13 Issue 3 Pg. 215-21 ( 1982) ISSN: 0025-7850 [Print] United States
• PMID: 6184430 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Growth Hormone

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Cryosurgery
• Growth Hormone (blood)
• Humans
• Hypophysectomy (methods)
• Male
• Pain, Intractable (blood, etiology, surgery)
• Palliative Care
• Pituitary Gland, Anterior (surgery)
• Prostatic Neoplasms (complications, surgery)
• Time Factors