Stalk Effect

Synopsis

Our patient is a 28-year-old female presenting with spontaneous galactorrhea found to have a pituitary tumor and a serum prolactin level of 63. Discussion questions the validity of the presumed mechanism of stalk effect for mild hyperprolactinemia.

References

Smith MV, Laws ER Jr. Magnetic resonance imaging measurements of pituitary stalk compression and deviation in patients with nonprolactin-secreting intrasellar and parasellar tumors: lack of correlation with serum prolactin levels. Neurosurgery. 1994 May;34(5):834-9.

Kruse A, Astrup J, Gyldensted C, Cold GE. Hyperprolactinaemia in patients with pituitary adenomas. The pituitary stalk compression syndrome. Br J Neurosurg. 1995;9(4):453-7.

iCase of the Month also available at iTunes U