A clinical review of 30 pheochromocytoma patients

A study of 30 cases of pheochromocytoma encountered at our department between 1959 and 1986 is presented. Fourteen patients were males and 16 were females. Their ages ranged from 18 to 72 years with a peak incidence in the fifties. Hypertension was present in 87% of the patients. The incidence of extra-adrenal tumors was 30% and that of malignancy 7%. The 24-hr urinary level of catecholamine was to a certain degree in accord with the location of the tumor and type of hypertension. Computed tomography and venous sampling were very useful for the diagnosis which had an accuracy rate of 100% in this series. Preoperative management using an alpha-blocker was effective in controlling blood pressure and circulating blood volume in most cases. Postoperative blood pressure was normalized within a week after operation in 85% of the patients who had been suffering from hypertension, although elevated levels of norepinephrine in urine were still noted in 56% of the patients one week after operation. Of the 27 follow-up cases, 21 cases (78%) were in good health and 2 cases were alive with hypertension with a mean follow-up period of 8.1 years. Four patients died, one during angiography, one of pulmonary edema one day after operation and the other 2 of metastases of malignant pheochromocytoma.