Acromegaly
Definition and Presentation
Acromegaly is actually a description of a condition
characterised by overgrowth of protruding body parts such as hands,
feet, chin, forehead and others. The condition is usually caused by
a pituitary tumour, producing excessive amounts of growth hormone
in adults. (Over production of growth hormone (GH) in children
results in gigantism.) Excessive GH can cause a large number of
medical problems such as hypertension, enlargement of the heart,
diabetes, osteoarthritis, and many others.
Diagnosis
Blood hormonal levels and MRI
Treatment
Microsurgical removal is the treatment of choice for these
tumours. However, often it is impossible to remove the tumour
radically and hormone secretion continues from inaccessible tumour
tissue. In this situation Gamma Knife surgery can be an excellent
adjunctive treatment. Hormone production can be suppressed by drugs
such as octreotide. Drug treatment is usually used as a temporary
measure.