AN UNUSUAL CASE OF SPONTANEOUS RUPTURE OF A CLINICALLY SILENT PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA

A case of an adrenal mass which presented as spontaneous rupture conta ined by its own capsule is described. Clinical symptoms were aspecific and endocrinological examinations were within normal range. CT scan m issed the presence of the adrenal tumor and interpreted the mass as a large haematoma arising from the left kidney. The pathological diagnos is was phaeochromocytoma. The management of ''silent'' phaeochromocyto ma and its atypical presentation are discussed. A review of the intern ational literature was also made collecting 29 cases of spontaneous ru pture of an adrenal phaeochromocytoma.