Reversible left ventricular wall motion impairment caused by pheochromocytoma--a case report

Excessive catecholamine levels can cause myocardial damage in experimental animals. Similar observations have been made in humans following autopsy for pheochromocytoma. However, whether catecholamine crises are reversible or not remains uncertain. We report here a case in which pheochromocytoma manifested as acute pulmonary edema during an operation. Serial echocardiograms revealed that the depressed motion of the left ventricular wall was reversed after tumor removal. The plasma catecholamine level was extraordinarily high during the episode of acute pulmonary edema, and it seems that catecholamines in high concentration can directly damage the myocardium.