GYNECOMASTIA FOLLOWING SPINAL-CORD DISORDER

Gynecomastia, an excessive development of the mammary glands in men; i s a known phenomenon among patients with spinal cord disorder, yet in the last 50 years it has not been fully described in relation to spina l cord disorder. over a period of 2 years, six patients with spinal co rd disorder (4 secondary to a traumatic injury, 1 to decompression sic kness, and 1 to transverse myelitis) manifested gynecomastia. The onse t of gynecomastia occurred between 1 to 6 months after injury, These p atients are presented along with a review of the possible causes for g ynecomastia and a suggested workup routine. A clinical examination for the presence of gynecomastia should be performed for every patient wi th spinal cord disorder and a thorough endocrinological workup should follow to rule out malignancy and reassure the anxious patient undergo ing a disruption of his body image. (C) 1997 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medici ne and Rehabilitation.