[Anesthesiologic problems in unsuspected extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma]

Although surgical mortality associated with pheochromocytoma has been markedly reduced in recent years, due to improvements in medical and anesthesiologic management, surgery in patients with unsuspected pheochromocytoma is still accompanied by a high fatality rate. A 20-year-old man without history of hypertension and previously in good health is reported who presented for exploratory thoracotomy and removal of a highly vascular mediastinal tumor. Intraoperatively a pheochromocytoma was suspected. Problems associated with establishing the diagnosis as well as difficulties in treating rapid changes of sympathetic adrenergic activation and hypotension following tumor resection are discussed. Despite the comparative rarety of pheochromocytoma the anaesthesiologist should be aware of unusual clinical manifestations.