Anaesthetic management of pheochromocytoma. A case report

Volume : VII, Issue : IV, April - 2018

Dr Geeta Choudhary, Dr Sandhya

Pheochromocytomas are neoplasms of chromaffin tissue that synthesize catecholamines. These chromaffin tissue tumors are not uncommon in

anesthetic practice and have varied manifestations. Pheochromocytoma represents very significant challenges to the anesthetist, especially when

undiagnosed. By some estimates, 25 to 50 percent of hospital deaths of patients with unmanaged or unknown pheochromocytoma occur during

induction of anesthesia or during operative procedures for other conditions.1 Anaesthetic management includes Preoperative use of alphaadrenergic

antagonists, beta–adrenergic antagonists with or without other antihypertensive agents, fluid therapy as well as insulin therapy for

hyperglycemia if required. Despite this preoperative preparation, many patients will have hypertensive crises intraoperatively which need to be

promptly and carefully managed by the anesthesia team which requires intensive and advanced monitoring techniques. With advancement in

surgical and anesthetic techniques, the incidence of severe morbidity and mortality associated with the surgery is low in high volume centers.