[Prolactin adenomas in Dakar]

Prolactin adenomas seem rare in Dakar. Only 4 cases were confirmed by a series of 63 Intracranial Expansive Processes (ICEP) in the sella area recorded between 1972 and 1987 at Fann U.H.C Neurological and Neurosurgical Unit. These ICEP are dominated by craniopharyngiomas. From analysis of observations on four women aged between 20 and 38 years is may be concluded that: 1. Patients consult late for this amenorrhoea-galactorrhoea syndrome associated with intracranial hypertension and reductions in the field of vision. 2. On the paraclinical level: angiography reveals voluminous ICEP in the sella region with sub-sellar expansion; dosage with prolactinemia was only possible in 2 cases (of which 1 was post operational), which underlines the difficulties of carrying out this examination and its high cost despite its obvious usefulness in diagnosis and therapeutic supervision. 3. All operations were accompanied by histological study of the operational part which confirmed prolactinemia. Bromocriptine is the best medicine to be employed before or after the operation, and, in one case, allowed preoperational prolactinaemia to be reduced. 4. Classical X-rays of the skull centred on the sella turcica, and prolactinaemia medication for any amenorrhoea-galactorrhoea syndrome, should lead to a better understanding of the incidence of prolactin adenomas in this area.