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Acromegaly in preadolescence: A case report of a 9-year-old boy with acromegaly
Tobechi Mbadugha1, Toshihiro Ogiwara1, Alhusain Nagm1
1Departments of Neurosurgery, Shinshu University, School of Medicine, Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
Background:
Acromegaly has been reported in adolescents and young adults, but it is unusual in preadolescence. Diagnosis and management pose different challenges in this age group. Here, we present a rare case of acromegaly in preadolescence.
Case Description:
A 9-year-old boy presented with acromegalic features and MRI revealed a pituitary tumor. He was diagnosed as having growth hormone secreting pituitary adenoma based on the multidisciplinary assessment, and underwent gross total tumor resection through an endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) with subsequent normalization of the hormonal parameters.
Conclusions:
Advances in EEA have made safe removal and cure possible even in children. However, long- term follow-up is needed in such younger patients with multidisciplinary management by neurosurgeons, endocrinologists, pediatricians, and ENT surgeons.
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