EMPTY SELLA SYNDROME FOLLOWING CRANIAL TRAUMA IN A DOG
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26873/SVR-2208-2025Keywords:
pituitary insuficiencia, dog, magnetic resonance imaging, empty sella, cranial traumaAbstract
This report describes a case of empty sella syndrome in a 6-month-old male dog that experienced cranial trauma 4 months prior. Clinical signs included behavioural disturbances such as aggression and growth retardation. Clinical examinations, laboratory tests, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the absence of the pituitary gland in the sella turcica and possible pituitary insufficiency indicated by decreased IGF-1 levels with TSH below the detection limit of the assay. The dog subsequently developed polyuria and intense polydipsia, raising suspicion of central diabetes insipidus. Persistent aggression led the owners to opt for euthanasia. In humans, empty sella syndrome has been associated with hormonal alterations, although it may be asymptomatic. This report underscores the importance of evaluating brain structures via MRI following cranial trauma and paying attention to the functionality of the endocrine system.
References
Auer MK, Stieg, MR, Crispin A, Sievers C, Stalla GK, Kopczak A. Primary empty sella syndrome and the prevalence of hormonal dysregulation. Dtsch Ärztebl Int 2018, 115(7): 99–105. doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2018.0099
Behrend EN. Update on drugs used to treat endocrine diseases in small animals. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2006; 36(5): 1087–105, vii. doi: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2006.05.007
Burgener IA, Gerold A, Tomek A, Konar M. Empty sella syndrome, hyperadrenocorticism, and megaesophagus in a dachshund. J Small Anim Pract 2007; 48(10): 584–7. doi10.1111/j.1748-5827.2007.00323.x
Ekhzaimy AA, Mujammami M, Tharkar S, Alansary MA, Al Otaibi D. Clinical presentation, evaluation, and case management of primary empty sella syndrome: a retrospective analysis of 10-year single-center patient data. BMC Endocr Disord 2020; 20(1): 142. doi: 10.1186/s12902-020-00621-5
García Escudero VC, Consuegra HA, Fortún DA. ¨Empty¨ Sella Turcica as a cause of severe hyponatremia. Case presentation and literature review. Revista Finlay 2017; 7(3): 213–8.
González-Tortosa, J. Primary empty sella syndrome: clinical, pathophysiology, and treatment. Neurocirugía 2009; 20(2): 132–51. doi: 10.1016/S1130-1473(09)70180-0
Konar M, Burgener IA, Lang J. Magnetic resonance imaging features of empty sella in dogs. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2008; 49(4): 339–42. doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2008.00376.x
Luján Feliu-Pascual, A. Cranial trauma II: treatment and prognosis. Small Animal Veterinary Clinic 2007; 27(4): 233–9. https://ddd.uab.cat/record/68438
Masserini B, Rivolta B, Bernardi I, et al. Asymptomatic empty sella syndrome: a “New” hypothalamic pathology or paraphysiological variant. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets (ahead of print). doi: 10.2174/0118715303314951240722093133
Murtagh K, Arrol L, Goncalves R, Granger N, German AJ, Smith PM. Hypothalamic-anterior pituitary hormone deficiencies following traumatic brain injury in dogs. Vet Rec 2015; 176(1): 20. doi: 10.1136/vr.102626
Wart M, Edwards TH, Rizzo JA, Peitz GW, Pigott A, Levine JM, Jeffery ND. Traumatic brain injury in companion animals: pathophysiology and treatment. Top Companion Anim Med 2024; 63: 100927. doi: 10.1016/j.tcam.2024.100927
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Claudia Espina, Lucila Gomez, Victor Castillo *
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
