Abscess formation in a pituitary adenoma.

The case described here is of particular interest for three reasons. First, suppuration within the sella turcica itself is an uncommon phenomenon, and suppuration within the substance of a pituitary adenoma must be extremely rare; I can find no reference to pyogenic abscess formation in a pituitary adenoma in an extensive search of the literature over the past 20 years. Secondly, in this case no complaint of deterioration of vision had been made until the onset of what appeared to be a fulminating type of meningitis, although the adenoma must have been present for a considerable time before the appearance of the acute illness. Blindness developed with great rapidity and was complete. Thirdly, the disease process resulted in a fulminating and rapidly fatal infection with little cellular reaction in the cerebrospinal fluid.