Pheochromocytoma and anesthesia

The latest trend shows a strong demand for minimally invasive surgery. The popularity of robot-assisted surgeries has increased because they eliminate many of the disadvantages of conventional laparoscopic methods.  However, compared to the conventional method of anesthesia treatment, robotic surgery may require adjustments in the way patients are positioned and the general arrangement of personnel and equipment. Pheochromocytomas (PHEOs) are tumours of neural crest cells that make catecholamines. Early detection and appropriate treatment are required for PHEO...

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disease with incomplete penetrance and variable expression. The features of cerebellar and spinal tumors, pheochromocytomas, and increased intracranial pressure complicate the anesthetic management of such patients. This report describes the anesthetic management of a parturient with VHL disease and highlights the importance of proper surveillance, vigilant management, and individualized treatment plans from a multidisciplinary team.

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory failure has been reported as one of the manifestations of hypertensive crisis in pheochromocytoma in human medicine. In dogs, no reports have been described as acute respiratory failure following hypertensive crisis. Here, we report the clinical presentation, course, and treatment of acute respiratory failure following the hypertensive crisis in a dog with presumed pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 12-year-old neutered male toy poodle was referred for the diagnostic evaluation of a right adrenal gland mass...

INTRODUCTION: Pheochromocytoma is a rare catecholamine-producing neuroendocrine tumor originating from the adrenal medulla chromaffin cells. Hemodynamic instability can occur during the induction of anesthesia and surgical manipulation of the tumor. This study investigated the effects of intraoperative dexmedetomidine administration on hemodynamic stability in patients undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma. METHODS: Forty patients who underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma were randomly assigned to the dexmedetomidine ( n  = 20) or control ( n  = 20) group...

Pheochromocytomas are catecholamine-secreting tumours arising mostly from the adrenal medulla. With the advancement in surgical and anaesthetic techniques, the incidence of severe morbidity and mortality associated with surgery is low. However, concurrent coronary artery disease and pheochromocytoma continue to be a challenge due to the risk of adverse cardiovascular events. We describe the successful management of pheochromocytoma excision in a patient with coronary artery disease.

RATIONALE: Anesthetic management during resection of pheochromocytoma is a huge challenge, especially when accompanied by dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, there is a lack of research evidence in this area. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 36-year-old man was admitted with a left retroperitoneal space-occupying lesion, present for 2 years. The patient also had DCM for 2 years. Blood analysis on admission showed elevated levels of norepinephrine and the N-terminus of the brain natriuretic peptide precursor...

Pheochromocytomas and paraganglionomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors. The multisystem effects of these tumors on the pregnant woman and fetus, the timing of surgery in relation to the pregnancy, and the pharmacological treatment have several anesthetic implications. Case reports on elective cesarean section followed by postpartum resection of the tumor are scarce. A case is presented of a 31-year-old nulliparous female where an antenatal diagnosis of a paraganglionoma was made at 19 weeks gestation for whom an elective cesarean section was performed at 31 weeks gestation under graded lumbar epidural anesthesia, followed by an elective open surgical removal of the tumor six weeks postpartum...

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a retrospective multi-institutional study reporting short- and long-term outcomes of adrenalectomy in patients presenting with acute hemorrhage secondary to spontaneous adrenal rupture. ANIMALS: 59 dogs and 3 cats. METHODS: Medical records of dogs and cats undergoing adrenalectomy between 2000 and 2021 for ruptured adrenal masses were reviewed. Data collected included clinical presentation, preoperative diagnostics, surgical report, anesthesia and hospitalization findings, histopathology, adjuvant treatments, and long-term outcome (recurrence, metastasis, and survival)...

BACKGROUND: Predicting malignancy among pheochromocytoma paragangliomas (PPGLs) remains a challenge, with only limited understanding of the clinical and molecular characteristics. It has been suggested that reduced avidity of a PPGL on 68 Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT could be a sign of not only altered metabolic activity, but also of increased biologic aggressiveness, possibly due to loss of SSTR-expression. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort review. PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENTS: Thirty-seven patients who underwent treatment for PPGL at a tertiary institution over the period 2010-2022, had their biochemical, radiological, and clinicopathological variables collected...

The major adrenal tumors with endocrine activity are primary aldosteronism, Cushing's syndrome/mild autonomous cortisol secretion, and pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma. Excessive aldosterone secretion in primary aldosteronism causes cardiovascular, renal, and other organ damage in addition to hypertension and hypokalemia. Cortisol hypersecretion in Cushing's syndrome/mild autonomous cortisol secretion causes obesity, hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, and cardiometabolic syndrome. Massive secretion of catecholamines in pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma causes hypertension and cerebrocardiovascular disease due to rapid blood pressure fluctuation...

BACKGROUND: Pheochromocytoma (PHEO) and paraganglioma (PGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumors characterized by hemodynamic instability, caused by the paroxysmal release of catecholamines. Patients may develop cardiovascular complications in the perioperative phase due to the massive release of catecholamines, particularly during anesthetic induction and surgical manipulation of the tumor. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the risk factors involved in perioperative hemodynamic instability in patients who underwent surgery for chromaffin tumors...

Pheochromocytoma in children is an exceptionally uncommon cause of hypertension in this age group. These tumors pose a significant threat of adverse cardiovascular events during the perioperative phase. In this article, we describe three cases of pediatric pheochromocytoma to shed light on the difficulties associated with administering anesthesia to patients with this condition. The foundations for successful perioperative outcomes include preoperative blood pressure control, extensive intraoperative hemodynamic evaluation, and appropriate coordination with surgeons...

A 27-year-old female with a past medical history of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) presented with obstructive hydrocephalus due to a thalamic tumor. The neurosurgery team attempted an operative intervention twice, but both times, the patient experienced a hypertensive emergency and unstable supraventricular tachycardia upon induction of anesthesia. After the second failed surgery, a pheochromocytoma was suspected and the workup demonstrated a left pheochromocytoma. Pheochromocytomas in patients with NF1 are known to be more dangerous and labile, requiring in-depth discussion and preparation by personnel in endocrinology, anesthesia, neurosurgery, and minimally invasive surgery...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the risk factors for postoperative vasopressor requirement among patients with pheochromocytoma undergoing retroperitoneal adrenalectomy. The primary outcome was postoperative hypotension requiring vasopressor support. DESIGN: A single-center retrospective observational study. SETTING: At a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Adults who underwent unilateral adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma between October 2015 and February 2020...

BACKGROUND: Anesthetic management of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma with Fontan circulation is challenging for physicians, with attention to cardiovascular physiology. CASE PRESENTATION: We performed anesthetic management for pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma in three patients with Fontan circulation. We maintained intraoperative central venous pressure at preoperative level under fluid infusion and administrating nitric oxide to decrease pulmonary arterial resistance...

BACKGROUND: Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome is characterized by mucocutaneous telangiectasia and arteriovenous malformations in organs. Anesthesia for patients with Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome is challenging due to complications and physiological changes. CASE PRESENTATION: The case was a 49-year-old female with Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome, multiple pulmonary arteriovenous malformations and pheochromocytoma who presented for femoral bone head fracture with metastatic adenocarcinoma...

BACKGROUND: The most dreaded adverse event of pheochromocytoma surgery is operative severe blood pressure fluctuations. Preoperative protocols with alpha-blockade have achieved controversial results. No study to date evaluated the use of operative protocols in pheochromocytoma patients. Deliberated compensated vasoplegia (DCV) is a novel pharmaceutical regimen developed at our institution to decrease severe hypertensive events. The aim of this study is to compare outcomes of pheochromocytoma resection with and without DCV protocol...

BACKGROUND: Cardiac paragangliomas (PGLs) are clinically rare, with hypertension and metabolic changes as the main symptoms. The tumor is highly related to gene mutation, and surgery is presently the effective treatment. Medical history and clinical manifestations of the patient, routine laboratory examinations and imaging examinations, and pathological examination can help the final diagnosis. CASE PRESENTATION: The present study presents a 31-year-old male patient with a left atrial mass...

BACKGROUND: Management of a patient with an active pheochromocytoma and severe aortic stenosis remains controversial. Adrenalectomy for a pheochromocytoma poses a high risk for stroke, hypertensive emergency, and mortality, compounded by the cardiovascular instability of severe aortic stenosis. In this case report, successful management of an active pheochromocytoma with concomitant severe aortic stenosis was accomplished by performing transcatheter aortic valve replacement under monitored anesthesia care prior to laparoscopic adrenalectomy...

OBJECTIVE: Anesthetic management is a great challenge during the surgical resection of pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) due to potential hemodynamic fluctuations and/or postoperative complications. Although combined epidural-general anesthesia is commonly used in PPGLs surgeries, there is still no consensus whether combined epidural-general anesthesia was superior than general anesthesia alone for these populations. For the first time, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the effects of combined epidural-general anesthesia versus general anesthesia alone on hemodynamic fluctuations as well as postoperative complications in patients undergone PPGLs surgeries...