postpartum pituitary necrosis

necrosis /ne·cro·sis/ (nĕ-kro´sis) pl. necro´ses   [Gr.] the morphological changes indicative of cell death caused by progressive enzymatic degradation; it may affect groups of cells or part of a structure or an organ.

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aseptic necrosis  necrosis without infection, usually in the head of the femur after traumatic hip dislocation.

Balser's fatty necrosis  gangrenous pancreatitis with omental bursitis and disseminated patches of necrosis of fatty tissues.

caseous necrosis  cheesy n.

central necrosis  that affecting the central portion of an affected bone, cell, or lobule of the liver.

cheesy necrosis  that in which the tissue is soft, dry, and cottage cheese–like; most often seen in tuberculosis and syphilis.

coagulation necrosis  necrosis of a portion of some organ or tissue, with formation of fibrous infarcts, the protoplasm of the cells becoming fixed and opaque by coagulation of the protein elements, the cellular outline persisting for a long time.

colliquative necrosis  that in which the necrotic material becomes softened and liquefied.

contraction band necrosis  a cardiac lesion characterized by hypercontracted myofibrils and contraction bands and mitochondrial damage, caused by calcium influx into dying cells resulting in arrest of the cells in the contracted state.

fat necrosis  that in which the neutral fats in adipose tissue are split into fatty acids and glycerol, usually affecting the pancreas and peripancreatic fat in acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis.

liquefaction necrosis  colliquative n.

phosphorus necrosis  necrosis of the jaw bone due to exposure to phosphorus.

postpartum pituitary necrosis  necrosis of the pituitary during the postpartum period, often associated with shock and excessive uterine bleeding during delivery, and leading to variable patterns of hypopituitarism.

subcutaneous fat necrosis  induration of the subcutaneous fat in newborn and young infants.

necrosis ustilagi´nea  dry gangrene due to ergotism.

Zenker's necrosis  see under degeneration.

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postpartum pituitary necrosis

Etymology: L, post + partus + pituita, phlegm; Gk, nekros, dead, osis, condition

an infarct of the pituitary resulting from hypovolemia and shock in the immediate postpartum period. The condition causes a state of hypopituitarism. Lactation may not develop, pubic and axillary hair may be lost, and symptoms of hypoglycemia and amenorrhea are experienced. See also Sheehan's syndrome.