Chronic Pituitary Failure Resembling Sheehan's Syndrome Following a Bite of Russell's Viper. A Case Report

Neuroradiol J. 2010 Mar;23(1):38-41. doi: 10.1177/197140091002300106. Epub 2010 Mar 8.

Abstract

Hypopituitarism can be the sequela of a variety of causes like postpartum pituitary necrosis or Sheehan's syndrome, lymphocytic hypophysitis, trauma and encephalitis. A very rare cause is envenomation by a bite of a Russell's viper. Very few cases with documented imaging findings of chronic pituitary failure resulting from snake bite have been reported. We describe a case of hypopituitarism with clinical, endocrine and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies occurring as a delayed complication of snake bite.