Medical management of pheochromocytoma in pregnancy

A pregnant patient presented with a history of diagnosed pheochromocytoma. Despite excision of the extra-adrenal tumor before pregnancy, the patient's urine catecholamine levels and blood pressure remained elevated. Subsequent attempts at localizing the tumor, including repeat laparotomy, were unsuccessful. The patient was medically managed with alpha blockade from the first trimester and was delivered by cesarean section after demonstration of fetal lung maturity at 35 weeks' gestation. She represents one of the few reported cases of successful medical management of pheochromocytoma throughout the entire course of a pregnancy.