title: Pheochromocytoma presenting as an abdominal emergency: association with perforation of the colon.
abstract: A pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor derived from the adrenal medulla (or from chromaffin cells of sympathetic ganglia). Its symptoms derive mostly from the excessive release of catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline). Hypertension is the most recognized feature of this disease, but gastrointestinal manifestations can on rare occasions be just as serious and life threatening. This report describes a rare case of a 70-year-old woman with pheochromocytoma who developed an acute abdominal emergency with shock and panperitonitis as a result of perforation of the descending colon which was effectively treated by surgical removal of the tumor and the perforated colon. There have been 2 such cases in the English literature in whom a pheochromocytoma was associated with perforation of the colon. Successful surgical removal of such a pheochromocytoma has been not reported previously. Our case demonstrates the importance of recognizing that a pheochromocytoma presents with a wide spectrum of manifestations, and rapid treatment brings improvement to the patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kobari General Hospital, Chiba, Japan. tmazaki@fa2.so-net.ne.jp
authors.forename: Takero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mazaki
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: Teruo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eguchi
authors.forename: Shigetomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwai
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000209:etiology*; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology*; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery