[Pituitary apoplexy after injection of pituitary-hormone releasing hormones]

Pituitary apoplexy often occurs spontaneously in adenomas. A few cases have been reported after testing anterior pituitary function by means of intravenous injections of a mixture of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and thyrotropin-releasing hormone, or gonadotropin-releasing hormone alone. In these cases the development of visual field defects has necessitated surgical intervention, which confirmed pituitary apoplexy. We describe a patient with a pituitary macroadenoma. He developed symptoms and signs of pituitary apoplexy immediately after intravenous injection of a mixture of hypothalamic releasing hormones. His visual fields remained normal, and he recovered spontaneously.