PERSISTENT THYROID FUNCTION FOLLOWING HYPOPHYSECTOMY*†

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Abstract
Hypophysectomy in man usually results in suppression of thyroid function within two to four weeks. From a large series of patients hypophysectomized for met astatic mammary carcinoma, 10 who remained euthyroid were studied in detail. Three of them had a previous history of thyroid dysfunction, but were euthyroid at the time of operation. Serum protein-bound iodine levels and thyroidal radioiodine (I131) uptakes have remained normal up to two and a half years following surgery. In 8 of these patients, triiodothyronine suppression tests were performed; thyroid function was not significantly inhibited. Completeness of hypophysectomy was established at autopsy in 4 patients and by re-exploration in 2. Available autopsy data on 5 of the 7 patients who died revealed adenomas in 3 and a normal thyroid gland in 2. The data presented suggest that in some instances the thyroid gland may continue to function in the absence of the pituitary.