Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea in young women after 6.5 years of therapy giant prolactinoma with Cabergolin

Abstract

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is a rare complication in of the prolactinomas treatment with dopamine agonists. In most cases CSF leak develops within the first three months of treatment starting. The article presents a rare clinical case – later development of CSF leak after pharmacological treatment of giant prolactinoma. Women 29 years with giant endo-supra-infra-laterasellar pituitary adenoma (8,7 cm in diameter), visual impairment, cachexia, secondary amenorrhea and prolactin level more than 2 million 200 thousand mU/l treated with cabergoline. On this background, complete regression of the tumor, recovery of visual function, body mass and normalization of prolactin level was marked. Nevertheless, after 6.5 years after beginning of cabergoline therapy CSF leak occured, which required endoscopic endonasal surgery with the plastic of a CSF fistula. All patients with large and giant prolactinomas which invade into skull base structures, receiving cabergoline even for a long time, should be aware of the possibility of such complications as CSF leak and, if necessary, should urgent appeals to the otolaryngologist and the neurosurgeon. In this case closure of skull base defect is a main tactics of treatment.