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A Persistently Problematic and Still Potentially Lethal Disease

Duane T. Freier, MD; Frederic E. Eckhauser, MD; Timothy S. Harrison, MD

Arch Surg. 1980;115(4):388-391.

Abstract
• Fifty patients with pheochromocytomas have had their conditions diagnosed and have been treated by these authors during a 13-year period. Three patients died in the postoperative period, for an overall mortality of 6%. Thirty-two patients underwent primary excision without fatality. Eighteen patients had more complicated illnesses associated with recurrences, notable other disease, acute catecholamine crisis, and/or pregnancy. All three postoperative deaths occurred in this group. Diagnosis was made by urinary catecholamine analysis of epinephrine, norepinephrine, metanephrine, and normetanephrine. Localization was done by plain films, ultrasonograms, computerized tomograms, radioactive isotope scans, intravenous pyelograms, caval samples, venograms, and arteriograms. Management of these complicated cases requires prompt and accurate diagnosis, availability of sophisticated methods of tumor localization, and thoughtful awareness of the potential outcome by an experienced team of surgeons and anesthesiologists.

(Arch Surg 115:388-391, 1980)

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical Center and Veterans Administration Medical Center (Drs Freier and Eckhauser), Ann Arbor, Mich; and the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (Dr Harrison), Hershey, Pa.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Dec 14, 1979.

Read before the 87th annual meeting of the Western Surgical Association, Colorado Springs, Colo, Nov 12, 1979.

Reprint requests to Department of Surgery, Veterans Administration Medical Center, 2215 Fuller Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 (Dr Freier).

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ABSTRACT