[Total intravenous anesthesia with propofol and sufentanil for resection of pheochromocytoma]

Various anaesthesiological procedures have been described for resection of phaeochromocytoma. In this case report total intravenous anaesthesia with propofol and sufentanil is presented. The patient showed a smooth haemodynamic course. A short hypertensive phase during tumour preparation responded well to small amounts of an alpha blocker. A drop in blood pressure after tumour removal, not uncommon in phaeochromocytoma surgery, was rectified by fluid replacement guided by pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and by inotropic drugs in medium doses for a short period. At the end of the operation the patient was haemodynamically stable and the postoperative course was uneventful. It can be concluded that total intravenous anaesthesia with propofol and sufentanil seems to be a suitable anaesthetic technique for phaeochromocytoma resection, providing great haemodynamic stability and allowing easy adjustment to intraoperative requirements.