[Neurogenic hypernatremia caused by a teratoma on the supraoptic region (author's transl)]

This is a case report involving a 9 year old girl with a teratoma that infaced mainly the bilateral hypothalamus. The girl was observed for 14 months after partial surgical removal. During that time she showed aphagia, adipsia, hypopituitarism, and visual and psychiatric disturbances. Severe hypernatremia also was present, even though large amounts of 5% glucose solution without salt were given I.V. Food and water were given by nasal gastric gavage and later gavage via gastric fistula, but the hypernatremia remained unchanged. When pitressin or spironolacton (anti-aldosterone) were administered, remarkable effect on the hypernatremia couldn't be found. Upon autopsy it was discovered that the bilateral hypothalamus, left subthalamus and ventral part of the thalamus were invaded by teratoma. Comparing many similar clinical reports and manifestations of hypothalamic lesions in experimental animals, it is reasonable to assume that the mechanisms of hypernatremia were caused by the disturbances of ADH secretion, thirst centre and osmoreceptor in the hypothalamus.