A case of pheochromocytoma with severe paralytic ileus

We report herein a rare case of a 26 year old woman with pheochromocytoma complicated by paralytic ileus. She presented with remarkable abdominal distension and respiratory difficulty but was effectively treated by surgical removal of the tumor with preoperative and operative management using alpha and beta adrenergic blocking agents. An excessive and persistent catecholamine production from large tumors or massive metastases characterizes this rare complication, and a review of the English and Japanese literature is given following this report.