Imagine that you went to see a doctor because you had been having a headache for a few days. What would you think if the doctor asked you to do a brain scan and the report said "Empty Sella"? You might be scared, "Is this an empty space in the brain? What's going on?" But don't worry. This is not as serious as many people think. Let's talk about this very simply today.
Simply put, what is Empty Sella Syndrome?
Inside our skull, under the brain, there is a small bony sac, like a small cage. In medicine, this is called the sella turcica . The specialty of this small cage is that the pituitary gland , the master regulator of our body's hormonal system, is protected and kept inside this sella turcica.
So, in some people, the protective fluid that surrounds the brain, called cerebrospinal fluid (or spinal fluid), starts to leak into this area called the 'sella turcica'. Then, due to the pressure of this fluid, the little pituitary gland gets crushed, flattened, and sticks to the wall of the sella turcica. Now, when you look at it on an 'MRI' or 'CT' scan, the space called the 'sella turcica' looks empty. It's not actually empty, it just looks that way because the pituitary gland is flattened. That's what we call 'Empty Sella Syndrome' (ESS) .
Are there types of this too?
Yes, there are mainly two types.
1. Primary Empty Sella Syndrome (`Primary ESS`): This is the most common type. It occurs when cerebrospinal fluid leaks into the sella teresa naturally, without any specific external cause. It can also sometimes be seen in people with conditions such as `pseudotumor cerebrii`, which causes pressure to build up spontaneously in the brain.
2. Secondary Empty Sella Syndrome (`Secondary ESS`): This occurs due to another cause. For example:
- Having had surgery for a pituitary tumor.
- Having received radiation therapy to that area.
- A serious head injury.
Both types rarely have a significant impact on your overall health. Most often, doctors discover this condition incidentally, while looking for the cause of another illness.
Who is more likely to develop this?
Although this condition can occur in anyone, it is more common in some people.
- More common in women than men.
- People who are obese are more likely to develop it.
- It is also common among people with high blood pressure .
What are the symptoms of this?
The important thing here is that most people with `Empty Sell Syndrome` do not experience any symptoms . That means that about 99% can live a normal life without any problems.
However, in rare cases, some people may develop symptoms. If so, let's see what those symptoms are.
| Type of symptom | Description |
|---|---|
| Frequently seen symptoms | |
| Headaches | Frequent headaches with no identifiable cause. |
| Hormonal problems | May be caused by effects on the pituitary gland. For example: excessive fatigue, irregular or stopped menstrual cycles in women, sexual dysfunction (`impotence`) in men, decreased sexual desire, difficulty conceiving children. |
| High blood pressure | High Blood Pressure. |
| Rarely seen symptoms | |
| Pressure inside the skull | Feeling like there is a pressure inside the head. |
| Runny nose | Watery nasal discharge (sinusitis) without a cold. |
| Vision problems | Swelling of the eyes, blurred vision. |
How do you find this, Doctor?
If you have the above symptoms, see a doctor immediately . He or she will first take a thorough history of your condition and then recommend a brain scan to confirm the condition.
There are two main types of scans used for this:
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan: This uses powerful magnets and radio waves to take very clear, detailed pictures of your brain and pituitary gland. This method can best assess the condition of the sella turcica.
- CT (Computerized Tomography) Scan: This uses X-rays to take pictures of your head from different angles and then combine them on a computer to create a complete picture.
Is treatment necessary? What can be done?
Here's the best news. If you have Empty Sella Syndrome and you don't have any symptoms or problems, you won't need any treatment. You can live a normal life.
However, if you have symptoms, the doctor will prescribe treatment based on those symptoms.
Remember, treatment is determined by your symptoms and the severity of your condition. Therefore, it is important to discuss this with your doctor and follow his or her advice.
If treatment is needed, these are the main methods:
- Medicine: If your pituitary gland is not producing enough hormones (e.g. thyroid hormones, sex hormones), your doctor will give you pills or other hormone treatments to correct those hormone levels.
- Surgery: This is rarely necessary. If cerebrospinal fluid continues to leak from the nose, a minor operation may be necessary to stop it.
Take-Home Message
- 'Empty Sella Syndrome' doesn't mean that part of your brain is "empty." It means that the pituitary gland is bruised and flattened, so that space appears empty on a scan.
- The majority of people with this condition have no symptoms. Most of the time, it is discovered by chance.
- If you see these words on your scan report, don't panic. Talk to your doctor about it.
- You only need to consider treatment if you have symptoms like frequent headaches and hormonal changes.
- Only those with symptoms need treatment, so it's important to follow your doctor's instructions.
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න