PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA WITH A FATAL OUTCOME - R EPORT OF 2 CASES SEEN IN DAKAR

Three cases of pheochromocytoma were seen at the endocrinology-oriente d internal medicine clinic of the Dakar Teaching Hospital between 1980 and 1995. The case of one of these patients with suggestive hormonal findings who died before undergoing imaging studies and was not autops ied is not reported. Of the other two patients, one was a woman with a massive tumor who developed cardiovascular collapse of unknown etiolo gy. The remaining patient was a smoker with diabetes mellitus, hyperch olesterolemia, and thrombotic vascular disease. Moderate long-standing smoking increases the coronary risk four-fold. A catecholamine-induce d spasm was considered a Possible contributor to the vascular manifest ations In this patient. These cases illustrate the potential severity of pheochromocytoma.