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Headaches are a common complaint in the general population – 22% of women and 11% of men are estimated to suffer from them. While not as familiar, lesions of the sellar and parasellar region are also relatively common, but they are usually not symptomatic and often go undetected throughout life. Studies of cadavers and healthy volunteers give us an incidence that ranges from 1.7% to 27% in the general population.

On April 24, 2012 neurosurgeon Sandeep Kunwar performed the 1000th transsphenoidal surgery for a pituitary adenoma since the California Center for Pituitary Disorders (CCPD) was established at UCSF just five years ago in May 2007. Dr. Kunwar’s patient was a 27-year-old man with acromegaly caused by a 2- cm, growth-hormone-producing pituitary tumor. He diagnosed himself after coming across an article about acromegaly and recognizing that he had many features of the disease. He has been disease-free since his surgery at the CCPD.

A 55-year-old woman presented with polyuria, nocturia, and thirst-induced polydipsia that developed insidiously over a six-month period. She was seen by her primary physician, who suspected and confirmed a diagnosis of diabetes insipidus. She was treated with DDAVP that provided excellent symptom control. Laboratory studies reflected normal anterior pituitary function. She was otherwise healthy. Physical examination was unrevealing. Magnetic resonance imaging of the sella illustrated a 1.5-cm mass in the region of the hypothalamus.