Pituitary gigantism

Pituitary gigantism
Excessive growth and too much height due to chronic overactivity of the pituitary gland which is located at the base of the brain. (Growth hormone is specifically made by the anterior pituitary gland.) In pituitary gigantism, there is secretion of too much growth hormone before the end of adolescence. People with pituitary gigantism can truly be giants. They can sometimes end up over 7 or 8 feet in height. When too much growth hormone is secreted after adolescence, there cannot be an increase in height but a condition called acromegaly ensues. The cardinal manifestations of acromegaly include thickening of the skin, soft tissues, and bones of the hands and feet. These effects are insidious and very slowly progressive. Ultimately they cause considerable disability (aside from the need for larger rings, gloves, and shoes) including hoarseness, sleep apnea, joint pain, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, insulin resistance, visual impairment and severe headaches. Pituitary gigantism and acromegaly may be caused by an adenoma of the pituitary (a tumor of the pituitary) or by other causes. Treatment is usually possible via medication or surgery. Inadequate treatment of pituitary gigantism and acromegaly is associated with increases in deaths from cardiovascular causes, cancer, and other causes.

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gigantism due to excessive pituitary secretion of growth hormone, occurring before puberty and before the epiphyses close; it is most often caused by eosinophilic cell hyperplasia or an eosinophilic adenoma, but sometimes results from a chromophobe adenoma. Called also hyperpituitary g. and Launois syndrome.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • gigantism — /juy gan tiz euhm, ji , juy gan tiz euhm/, n. Pathol. abnormally great development in size or stature of the whole body or of parts of the body, most often due to dysfunction of the pituitary gland. Cf. hypertrophy. [1880 85; < L gigant GIANT +… …   Universalium

  • Gigantism, pituitary — Excessive growth and height due to chronic overactivity of the pituitary gland (at the base of the brain). (Growth hormone is specifically made by the anterior pituitary gland.) In pituitary gigantism, there is secretion of too much growth… …   Medical dictionary

  • Gigantism — Classification and external resources Anna Haining Bates with her parents ICD 10 E22.0, E …   Wikipedia

  • Gigantism — refers to excessive growth both in height and specific body parts. Gigantism with extreme growth in height may be associated with disorders of the pituitary gland, which secretes human growth hormone (somatotrophin) during childhood before the… …   Medical dictionary

  • Pituitary adenoma — Classification and external resources ICD 10 D35.2 …   Wikipedia

  • gigantism — [jī gan′tiz΄əm, jī′gantiz΄əm] n. [see GIGANTIC & ISM] 1. the quality or state of being gigantic 2. abnormally great growth of the body, due to an excessive production of growth hormone by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland …   English World dictionary

  • Pituitary gland — The main endocrine gland. It is a small structure in the head. It is called the master gland because it produces hormones that control other glands and many body functions including growth. The pituitary consists of the anterior and posterior… …   Medical dictionary

  • pituitary tumour — ▪ disease       most common cause of enlargement of the sella turcica, the bone cavity in the head in which the pituitary gland is located. There are two general types of pituitary tumours hormone secreting and nonsecreting. There are five types… …   Universalium

  • Pituitary, anterior — The front portion of the pituitary, a small gland in the head called the master gland. Hormones secreted by the anterior pituitary influence growth, sexual development, skin pigmentation, thyroid function, and adrenocortical function. These… …   Medical dictionary

  • acromegalic gigantism — pituitary gigantism in which the body also has the changes in the short and flat bones and in the distal parts that are characteristic of acromegaly …   Medical dictionary

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