Hypophysectomy; ground breaking treatment for acromegaly in cats - an overview of cutting edge surgery

Abstract

Acromegaly is a condition caused by a pituitary somatotroph adenoma which causes an over production of somatotropin (hypersomatotropism). This can cause the patient to become insulin resistant and therefore suffer from uncontrolled diabetes. The hypophysectomy is a ground breaking surgery. It can effectively treat feline acromegaly caused by a pituitary somatotroph adenoma by removing the pituitary using a transoral transphenoidal approach (through the roof of the mouth).

Keywords:

• hypophysectomy
• acromegaly
• hypersomatotropism

Acknowledgement

Photos courtesy of Joe Fenn BVetMed MVetMed DipECVN MRCVS

Special thanks to Stijn Niessen DVM PhD DipECVIM PGCVetEd FHEA MRCVS, Joe Fenn BVetMed MVetMed DipECVN MRCVS, Ruth Gostelow BVetMed(Hons) MVetMed DipACVIM DipECVIM-CA MRCVS and the Internal Medicine, Neurology and Theatre teams of the Queen Mother Hospital, Royal Veterinary College

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Georgina Blackman

Georgina Blackman BSc (Hons) RVN ISFM Cert&DipFN Georgina graduated from Hartpury College with a degree in Animal Science in 2005 and then qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2010. She is a Medicine Nurse at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals at the Royal Veterinary College where she enjoys the challenges of referral nursing in the Internal Medicine department. She has a keen interest in feline nursing and helped the hospital achieve ISFM gold standard feline friendly practice status, and recently gained the ISFM Diploma in Feline Nursing. She is passionate about educating nurses on feline friendly nursing and reducing stress in the feline patient. She juggles her love for her nursing career with being a mother to her 3 young children, Tilly, Teddy and Max.