ACUTE ABDOMINAL SYMPTOMS CAUSED BY HEMORRHAGIC NECROSIS OF A PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA - REPORT OF A CASE

The diagnosis of pheochromocytoma is often difficult in a patient pres enting with acute illness but without the classical constitutional sym ptoms. We report herein the case of a woman who developed acute abdomi nal symptoms following hemorrhagic necrosis of a previously unsuspecte d pheochromocytoma. This patient underwent successful emergency resusc itation followed later by elective surgical resection of a right adren al pheochromocytoma. A review of 27 other cases indicates that a fatal outcome is likely to result without the initiation of prompt and appr opriate emergency treatment, followed later by removal of the tumor. T hus, early diagnosis is important not only for controlling hypertensio n, but also because performing a laparotomy on a patient with unrecogn ized hemorrhagic necrosis of pheochromocytoma can create a potentially lethal situation.