Question: Should every patient who has had pituitary surgery be tested for growth hormone deficiency and how soon following surgery?

Answer: Patients with macroadenomas (tumors greater than 1 cm), patients who have undergone transsphenoidal or other pituitary surgery, patients with loss of other anterior pituitary hormones, or patients who have had radiation therapy are at high risk for growth hormone deficiency. If growth hormone therapy is being considered, tests for growth hormone deficiency are essential. We usually wait to test for growth hormone deficiency until more acute hormone issues, such as post-operative adrenal and thyroid status are clarified. Typically, this is at least 6 weeks following surgery.

If a person has a history of malignancy or is not a candidate for growth hormone therapy for some other reason, there is no reason to test for a deficiency.

By Dr. Anne Klibanski MD (Fall, 1999)