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Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Three-dimensional Alginate-bead Culture of Human Pituitary Adenoma Cells
Published on: February 18, 2016
Wegener's granulomatosis, pituitary adenoma and BARN
1Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, Birmingham and Midland Eye Hospital, UK.
Abstract:
A 53-year-old man with Wegener's granulomatosis and a co-existing pituitary adenoma developed bilateral acute retinal necrosis (BARN), probably secondary to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection as IgM antibodies were detected in the serum. Intravenous acyclovir and ganciclovir limited the spread of necrosis, but to prevent recurrence he was maintained on oral acyclovir. A left cataract developed 17 months later which was extracted and replaced with a heparin surface modified intraocular lens. Intraocular specimens removed at the time of surgery were analysed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers specific for a number of the herpes group of viruses, but no herpesviral DNA could be detected.
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