Partial hypopituitarism following septic peritonitis with shock.

A 46-year-old man had a prolonged septic peritonitis with shock that resulted from a perforated appendix at the age of 29, followed, six months later, by the gradual development of partial hypopituitarism. Radiographic studies, including a pneumoencephalogram, did not reveal any evidence of sellar or surprasellar masses. Endocrine studies revealed growth hormone and gonadotropic deficiency and possible adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency and possible adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency. The nature of the disease course yielded much speculation in regard to pathogenesis of the condition.