Nelson's syndrome is a rare disorder that occurs in people with Cushing's disease as a result of removing both of the adrenal glands.
Nelson's syndrome often affects people who have previously undergone surgical removal of their adrenal glands when they develop symptoms suggestive of pituitary enlargement such as headache, visual disturbance, skin pigmentation or other symptoms resulting from pituitary hormone deficiencies.
The condition of Nelson's syndrome can be treated by observation (for stable small tumors), tumor resection, radiation, and/or pharmacotherapy.
However, resection of pituitary adenoma is typically the treatment of choice.
If surgery is ineffective or not possible, radiotherapy or radiosurgery can be performed to treat and fix Nelson's syndrome.
Cushing disease is a disease that is characterized by the presence of a non-cancerous tumor on the pituitary gland causing excessive production of ACTH.
Nelson syndrome in a person develops when the tumor in the pituitary gland grows after the removal of the adrenal glands (bilateral adrenalectomy).
Nelson syndrome also called post adrenalectomy syndrome was first reported in 1958 by Dr. Don H. Nelson, an endocrinology fellow at the time.
This clinical syndrome was initially called a postadrenalectomy syndrome, but later it was named after Dr.
If you have both adrenal glands removed, or if your remaining adrenal gland doesn't work, medications can replace essential hormones.
With appropriate management and treatment, people without adrenal glands have a normal life expectancy.