Panhypopituitarism and anemia secondary to traumatic fracture of the sella turcica.

A case of a 27 year old man who developed anemia after fracture of the sella turcica is reported. The diagnosis of anterior pituitary insufficiency was made by a combined provocative test with TRH, LHRH, and insulin. The anemia was characterized by a hypocellular bone marrow which appeared to be functioning only in the thoracic-lumbar vertebrae, an absence of measurable erythropoietic activity, and by the return to normal of the hematological findings after hormonal replacement therapy. This patient had the highly unusual combination of proven panhypopituitarism and significant anemia resulting from a distinct fracture of the sella turcica.