Empty saddle syndrome is a rare disorder in which there is a malformation of a skull structure, known as the turkish saddle, where the pituitary of the brain is located. When this happens, the functioning of this gland varies according to the type of syndrome:
- Empty saddle syndrome: happens when the saddle is filled only with cerebrospinal fluids, and the pituitary gland is outside the usual place. However, the functioning of the gland is not affected; Partially empty saddle syndrome: the saddle still contains part of the pituitary gland, so the gland may end up being compressed, affecting its functioning.
This syndrome is more frequent in patients with a pituitary tumor, who underwent radiotherapy or who underwent surgery to remove a part of the pituitary gland, however, it can also appear from birth due to compression of the pituitary by cerebrospinal fluid.
Empty saddle syndrome rarely causes complications and, therefore, in most cases, no treatment is required. Cases of partially empty saddles, on the other hand, must be well evaluated.
Symptoms of empty saddle syndrome
In many cases of the empty saddle syndrome there are no symptoms and, therefore, the person is able to lead a completely normal life. However, if the saddle is partially empty, it is more common for symptoms to appear, which can vary greatly from one person to the next.
Still, some symptoms that appear to be more common include:
- Frequent headaches; Changes in vision; Decreased libido; Excess tiredness; High blood pressure.
As it usually does not show symptoms, this syndrome is usually identified in routine exams, which are done to identify other problems, such as tomography or MRI, for example.
How to confirm the diagnosis
The diagnosis is usually made by a neurologist through the assessment of the referred symptoms, as well as analysis of diagnostic tests such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
Treatment for empty saddle syndrome
The treatment for empty saddle syndrome should be guided by an endocrinologist or a neurologist, but it is usually only started when the person shows symptoms of reduction of important hormones, for example. In these cases, hormone replacement is done to guarantee normal levels of hormone in the body.
In the most severe cases, such as a pituitary tumor, surgery may be necessary to remove the affected part of the pituitary gland and improve its functioning.
