liveonearth: (Default)
liveonearth ([personal profile] liveonearth) wrote2010-12-16 10:36 pm

Acromegaly

What are the face, skull and foot changes seen with acromegaly?


ACROMEGALY
--dt pituitary eosinophilic adenoma secreting growth hormone AFTER growth plates have fused

--excessive growth hormone production PRIOR to closure of long bone growth ctrs-->gigantism:


-->back to acromegaly

--facial changes: prominent forehead, thickened tongue

--hands: broad and large, widened shafts, bony protuberances, enlarged distal tufts (spade like), widened joint spaces (dt cartilage overgrowth)


--predisposition to degenerative arthritis, esp of spine and weight bearing jts
--predisposition to carpal tunnel syndrome dt extra bone @ tendon attachments
--feet: heel pds greater than 20mm thick dt soft tissue and spurs

--spine: increased size, hyperostoses, widened disc heights, posterior body scalloping
--skull: sella turcica enlargement (dt pituitary neoplasm), sinus overgrowth (esp frontal), malocclusion, widened mandibular angle (prognathism, jaw goes down not forward)
--prognathism:

--sella turcica and frontal sinus here:


Treatment flowchart:

[identity profile] machmed.livejournal.com 2009-03-17 04:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Ok, I'm kind of squeamish, so I really hate how I have to look at that every time I scroll down my friend's page. :(

[identity profile] liveonearth.livejournal.com 2009-03-18 03:16 am (UTC)(link)
Is it the skull or the feet that bother you?

[identity profile] liveonearth.livejournal.com 2009-03-18 04:16 pm (UTC)(link)
I thought that was the case. I put the feet behind the cut so you can scroll without dread of icky feet.

[identity profile] machmed.livejournal.com 2009-03-19 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
Well thanks. :p