At first, parents are happy that their child exceeds overall growth indicators - which means that nutrition and care are the best. Then they are perplexed: in whom did he so wave? After they notice that the growth of some parts of the body continues. How to stop growth? Doctors make a diagnosis: gigantism, elevated growth hormone growth hormone. Previously, they did not know how to treat this condition.
Why growth does not stop
The cause of gigantism is a pituitary tumor. It can also be formations or metastases in the brain that compress the pituitary gland. Sometimes this is an infection that triggers the inflammatory process in it. That is why it is necessary to completely cure the flu or SARS, avoiding complications.
One type of gigantism is acromegaly. This is a disease that begins in adulthood. The cause of growth is somatotropinoma or pituitary adenoma. Since the growth points are already closed, those parts of the body that can no longer grow in length begin to grow. There is a thickening of the cartilage, and the bones grow in width. Undetected in childhood, gigantism can develop into acromegaly. The disease can begin after a head injury or brain infection.
Self-medication in these conditions is unacceptable. Only a doctor knows how to stop growth. A well-defined diagnosis by an endocrinologist can help prescribe medications. The doctor will prescribe tests and tests to determine the number of somatomedins, the level of total protein and glucose, ophthalmoscopy and radiological examination.
Now you can stop the growth
Treatment is aimed at lowering somatotropin in the blood. Three areas are distinguished here.
- Drug treatment. Medicines are selected in such a way as to even out the imbalance of growth hormone. A synthetic hormone can be prescribed that can stop the growth of the body. Assign "Somatostatin" or "Octreotide." The hormone level quickly returns to normal, the tumor decreases. Bromocriptine, or Parlodel, is also well established. It stimulates the natural synthesis of dopamine, and it inhibits the synthesis of growth hormone. In addition, Cabergoline may be prescribed.
- Radiation Radiotherapy This includes the well-known x-ray therapy and a new type - irradiation with a directed neutron beam.
- Surgery.
It should be noted that medications alone do not cause remission in all patients. Only 30 to 50 percent of patients observed can be content with pills. The rest have to apply other methods to stop the growth of the body.
If you can not do without surgery
The endocrinologist will not send to the surgeon until he is convinced that this is the best option for the patient. First of all, his decision will be affected by a person’s age and related diseases. In addition to indicators of the content of growth hormone in the blood, the size of the tumor and the condition of the fundus are important. If rapid growth of adenoma is observed, it is better to decide on an operation.
The so-called microadenomas are removed through the nose, since the pituitary gland is conveniently located immediately after the nasal cavity. The operation is non-traumatic, seamless and fast. In addition, it is very effective: the level of the hormone immediately returns to normal.
If the tumor is large, a series of operations will be required. Removal is performed through the sphenoid bone or using an endoscope. In addition, radiation therapy may be prescribed.
Radiation therapy
A few years ago, there were not many answers to the question of how to stop growth. This is especially true for methods alternative to surgical:
- Radiation therapy was previously done simultaneously. Now they do it for a month or two daily in small doses to prevent the destruction of neighboring tissues.
- When a pituitary adenoma is diagnosed, radiotherapy is prescribed to prevent its growth and complications. Alternatively, yttrium or gold is implanted in it.
- Protonotherapy - narrowly focused exposure to proton beams. Compared to the classical method, when adenoma and adjacent tissues are exposed to radiation, this procedure is less traumatic.
- Stereotactic radiosurgery is an effect on diseased tissue, while adjacent healthy tissues experience minimal impact.
