Acromegaly.
—Acromegaly is so named from its tendency to increase the volume of the bone extremities or apices. The first case of this disease was published by Marie in 1885. It is characterized by progressive increase in weight, by enlargement of all the extremities, bones and soft tissues alike; but the most characteristic involvement is that of the lower jaw, the upper jaw being little if at all affected. The lower jaw assumes enormous size and projects so that its teeth are far in front of those of the upper. The supra-orbital ridges enlarge, as do also the sternal ends of the clavicles and costal cartilages. As the disease progresses the ribs are widened and the scapulæ enlarged, the vertebræ and the intervertebral cartilages thickened and fused together, causing usually cervicodorsal kyphosis. The long bones of the limbs suffer later, especially at the lowermost joint ends—i. e., hands and feet. The viscera are rarely affected, but there is a peculiar and characteristic enlargement, usually of the thyroid and pituitary bodies. The lower cervical ganglion of the sympathetic is also sclerosed; the mucous membrane of the nose is usually hypertrophied; the uvula is enlarged and the larynx often participates in the changes. Acromegaly is essentially symmetrical, and for each change upon one side of the body is noticed a corresponding alteration upon the other. Particular features are observed in individual cases, but the above are practically common to all.
Fig. 240
Osteoarthropathy. (Marie.)
Fig. 241
Acromegaly. (Original.)
The underlying pathological condition is as yet undetermined, though most indications point to late alterations along the original craniopharyngeal tract of the young embryo, whose remains are best known in the pituitary body and the thyroid. On this account there is reason for trying the treatment by extract of the pituitary body, or even of the thyroid. The greatest complaint usually is of headache, which is difficult of relief. The disease is steady, progressive, unaffected by treatment, and the prognosis bad, though its course is slow.