[Perioperative course of 17 cases of pheochromocytoma].
We analysed the perioperative course of 17 surgeries in 16 patients with pheochromocytoma between January 1981 and February 1995. The proportion of women was high (14/16 = 88%). All patients, except one, had hypertension (in three it was only sporadic). Twelve patients had complications or associated diseases. In 13 cases the pheochromocytoma was diagnosed before the operation: they were given preoperative pharmacological protection. The intraoperative monitoring included ECG, invasive blood pressure, CVP and when considered useful, a pulmonary catheter. During tumor handling, the increase in arterial pressure reached a higher level (p < 0.01) in the patients who did not receive preoperative adrenergic blockade versus those who did receive it (p < 0.05). Intraoperative nitroprussiate was needed in 13 cases (76%). Following tumour removal five patients required vasopressor support. One patient died two weeks after surgery due to septic shock. In the postoperative period eight patients had hypokalemia, a complication which has not been reported previously.
González
R
R
División de Medicina Crítica y Anestesiología, Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición, México, D.F.
Portela-Ortiz
J M
JM
de la Rosa-Ramírez
I
I
Domínguez-Cherit
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies