HYPOPITUITARISM WITH INVISIBLE PITUITARY-STALK - 2 CASE-REPORTS OF MALES WITH MICROPENIS SUGGESTING FETAL ONSET OF HYPOPITUITARISM

The presence of hypopituitarism and invisible pituitary stalk on a mag netic resonance image (MRI) is commonly attributed to birth trauma. Tw o patients with severe hypopituitarism and invisible pituitary stalk a re presented. One was born by breech delivery, the other by Cesarean s ection. The presence of a micropenis since early infancy in these two patients suggested that their hypopituitarism might have begun during early fetal life thus effecting penile growth during the second and th ird triministers of gestation. These findings raise the possibility th at the association of hypopituitarism and invisible pituitary stalk ma y have multiple etiologies including hormonal abnormalities during ear ly fetal life.