[Empty sella as an intrasellar herniation of the third ventricle secondary to spontaneous degeneration of a prolactinoma].

A case of a large empty sella was reported, which was intrasellar herniation of the third ventricle associated with a prolactinoma. The patient was a 46-year-old female admitted due to consciousness disturbance with pyrexia and vomiting. She had amenorrhea, galactorrhea and sterility in her past history. On admission, physical and neurological examinations revealed severe dehydration, systemic edema, systemic hypotension, nuchal rigidity, papilloedema and goiter. A spinal tap was performed and revealed an increase in CSF pressure. Laboratory data indicated CSF lymphocytosis, an increase in CSF protein content, high titers of serum microsome test, a low concentration of anterior pituitary hormones in serum except for PRL, and an unusually high concentration of PRL in serum and CSF (4680 and 222ng/ml, respectively). Plain films of the skull showed destructive enlargement of the sella turcica. The patient was diagnosed as having non-bacterial meningitis, chronic thyroiditis and a prolactinoma with hypopituitarism and was then admitted to our department. Except for amenorrhea she was asymptomatic under the administration of levothyroxine, hydrocortisone and bromocriptine. CT scan, MRI, pneumoencephalography and CT cisternography as further examinations disclosed the intrasellar herniation of cisterns and the third ventricle, which were surrounded by an intrasellar parenchymal layer. This layer was thought to be still viable prolactinoma tissue. We supposed the third ventricle entered the enlarged sellar cavity following the spontaneous degeneration of the large prolactinoma. Although we could find some documented reports of similar cases, the complete herniation of the third ventricle secondary to degeneration of an adenoma might be rare.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)