Treatment of Gigantism: Observations on a Pituitary Giant for Six Years

THE STATEMENT, ‘gigantism is acromegaly is of early life,’ was made by several observers from 1892 to 1895 (1). Although enlargement of the pituitary fossa with pituitary tumor was described in earlier accounts of acromegaly (Saucerotte, 1772, gave the first medical description of acromegaly; Verga, 1864, first recorded autopsy) (1), Marie is given credit for establishing acromegaly as a definite disease entity (2). In a review of 34 cases of gigantism in 1897 Sternberg (3) showed that 14 cases had acromegalic alterations. Hutchinson (4) in 1900 found pituitary enlargement in 44 of 48 autopsies on acromegalic individuals. Thus this relationship between acromegaly, gigantism and pituitary tumor was recognized quite early and, although in the past some writers have not accepted it, it is generally recognized today. Acromegaly has been described in childhood but such case reports as I have been able to find are not convincing. Acromegalic features,that is, widening of the hands and feet and disproportionate lengthening of the jaw, become more pronounced when final stature is approached.