Acute limb ischemia as manifestation of a pheochromocytoma.

A case is described of a woman admitted to the emergency room with myocardial infarction and acute leg ischemia and suspected thromboembolism. Surgical exploration of the common femoral artery and its branches was performed. The surgical outcome and the subsequent clinical course suggested the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma which was supported by isotopic red-cell labelling study and catecholamine measurement. The very high values of catecholamine production explained the marked and persistent arterial vasospasm which led to marked and irreversible ischemia.