FUNCTIONING ECTOPIC SUPRADIAPHRAGMATIC PITUITARY-ADENOMAS

PITUITARY ADENOMAS ARISING far from the pituitary gland occur rarely a s a result of defects in embryological migration. Likewise, there have been reports of isolated suprasellar adenomas (clinically nonfunction ing), presumably derived from cells of the pars tuberalis. In this rep ort, we present four cases of functional pituitary adenomas (three adr enocorticotrophic hormone, one prolactin) confined to the supradiaphra gmatic region. In each case, the tumors were initially treated unsucce ssfully by operations via the transsphenoidal route because of expecte d intrasellar processes with suprasellar extension.