What is empty sella syndrome?
Empty sella syndrome is common in women who are overweight or have high blood pressure. Characterized by an enlarged bony structure (sella turcica) that houses the pituitary gland at the base of the brain, the disorders sometimes results in high fluid pressure inside the skull. The pituitary gland is usually normal size or small.
Empty sella syndrome is common in women who are overweight or have high blood pressure. Characterized by an enlarged bony structure (sella turcica) that houses the pituitary gland at the base of the brain, the disorders sometimes results in high fluid pressure inside the skull. The pituitary gland is usually normal or small in size. What are the symptoms of empty sella syndrome? Each individual may experience symptoms differently. Besides high fluid pressure in the skull, which occurs in about 10 percent of patients, another symptom is a chronically runny nose. How is empty sella syndrome diagnosed? In addition to a complete medical history and medical examination, diagnostic procedures for empty sella syndrome may include: • x-ray of the skull • computed tomography (CT or CAT scan) – a non-invasive procedure that takes cross-sectional images of the brain or other internal organs; to detect any abnormalities that may not show up on an ordinary x-ray • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) –
Empty Sella Syndrome (ESS) is a disorder that involves the sella turica, a bony structure at the base of the brain that surrounds and protects the pituitary gland. ESS is a condition that is often discovered during tests for pituitary disorders, when radiological imaging of the pituitary gland reveals a sella turica that appears to be empty. There are two types of ESS: primary and secondary. Primary ESS happens when a small anatomical defect above the pituitary gland increases pressure in the sella turica and causes the gland to flatten out along the interior walls of the sella turica cavity. Primary ESS is associated with obesity and high blood pressure in women. The disorder sometimes results in a build-up of fluid pressure inside the skull and the pituitary gland may be smaller than usual. Secondary ESS is the result of the pituitary gland regressing within the cavity after an injury, surgery, or radiation therapy. Individuals with secondary ESS due to destruction of the pituitary g
