Multiple pituitary hormone deficiency due to gunshot injury in a 6-year-old girl

J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol. 2013 Sep 10;5(3):209-11. doi: 10.4274/jcrpe.1027.

Abstract

Gunshot injuries (GSI) of the cranial area have an extremely high mortality rate. Herein, we present a girl who has been living with a bullet in the posterior sellar region. A 6-year-old girl was admitted with complaints of headache, polyuria and polydypsia, which started after a GSI. At the time of admission the patient's anthropometric, physical and neurological examinations were normal. Urine output was 5.5 L/m2/24h. A water deprivation test suggested central diabetes insipidus, which responded to treatment. Evaluation of other pituitary hormones revealed central hypothyroidism and growth hormone deficiency. Pituitary hormone deficiency must be kept in mind in patients injured by a gunshot to the sellar/parasellar region.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Deamino Arginine Vasopressin / therapeutic use
  • Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic / drug therapy
  • Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic / etiology*
  • Female
  • Human Growth Hormone / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Hypopituitarism / etiology*
  • Hypothyroidism / drug therapy
  • Pituitary Hormones / deficiency*
  • Thyroxine / therapeutic use
  • Wounds, Gunshot / complications*

Substances

  • Pituitary Hormones
  • Human Growth Hormone
  • Deamino Arginine Vasopressin
  • Thyroxine