CASE OF PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA WITH PERMANENT HYPERTENSION

Pheochromocytoma is a tumor of chromaffin tissue that produces a large amount of biologically active substances (adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine), clinically manifested by hypertension and various metabolic disorders. Quite often the diagnosis is made only after autopsy. One of the reasons for late diagnosis is a great number of different clinical masks of the disease. Usually pheochromocytoma is suspected in patients with paroxysmal hypertension. We present a 37-year-old pregnant female (week 8 of pregnancy) with pheochromocytoma and permanent hypertension and sustained elevation of blood pressure up to 220/150 mm Hg. Her only complaint was vision disorder that started 3 months ago. Also, she noted a weight loss of 4 kg over the last 6 months. Retinopathy, left ventricle hypertrophy, tumor of right adrenal gland and glucose level disorders were revealed. Pregnancy was terminated for medical reasons. The patient took combination of doxazosin 0.4 mg, metoprolol 100 mg and moxonidin 0.4 mg per day and blood pressure was normalized to 130/90 mm Hg. Due to hypertension and tumor of right adrenal gland that are accompanied by retinopathy and metabolic disorders, pheochromocytoma was suspected. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography confirmed the tumor (60×73×70 mm) of right adrenal gland. Urinary normetanephrine level was 5.5 times higher than the norm. Magnetic resonance angiography of cerebral vessels was done because of malignant hypertension and family history (the patient’s sister had died of cerebral hemorrhage). Fusiform aneurysm of right internal carotid artery was revealed. The patient underwent laparoscopic resection of right adrenal gland. Histologic examination: pronounced cellular and nuclear polymorphism, invasion of tumor cells into a fibrous capsule, which does not exclude the malignant nature of pheochromocytoma. Follow-up period lasted for 8 months and was characterized by normalization of blood pressure, glucose level and weight gain of 3.5 kg. Computed tomography of retroperitoneal space and normal urinary metanephrine tests revealed no recurrent pheochromocytoma.

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