Bilateral pheochromocytoma: laparoscopic adrenalectomy in two cases

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy, if done by skilled surgeon, is now the first ch oice for treating most adrenal tumors, including bilateral pheochromocytoma . We report two women, aged 35 and 34 years old, with bilateral adrenal phe ochromocytoma successfully excised by laparoscopic surgery. Both had severe hypertension, high urinary catecholamine values (epinephrine + norepinephr ine: 528 and 1083 ug/24h) and bilateral adrenal tumors at CT scan. After 4 weeks of doxazosin treatment, a laparoscopic transperitoneal adrenalectomy was done (Gugner's technique), with surgical times of 7 and 5 hours respect ively. Both patients received hydrocortisone and only the second one requir ed one unit of packed cells. Postoperative evolution was uneventful and bot h patients were discharged at the fifth postoperative day. At two months of follow up, both patients are asymptomatic and normotensive (Rev Med Chile 2001; 129: 91-94).